iWhJU&V AiL'ttXK'Xti, 


11  Iv  Ha  mi 


ARCHIBALD 
CLAVERING 
GUNTER 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OP 
CALIFOWNiA 

SAN  DIEGO 


XX 


Billy   Hamilton 


A  NOVEL 


BY 


ARCHIBALD  CLAVERINQ  QUNTER 


AUTHOI  OF 


*  Mr.  Barnes  of  New  York,"  "  Bob  Covington,"  etc.,  etc 


NEW  YORK 
HURST  &  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1898, 

by 
A.  O.  GUNTEB. 

All  rights  reserved. 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  I. 

MOW   STONEWALL  JACKSON  CAME  TO   FREDERICK. 

MAFTBR  FAOB 

I.  The  Cavalry  Picket  at  Norton's  Ferry. ...  ; 

II.  A  Sweet  Prisoner at 

III.  Who  the  Deuce  is  She? 36 

IV.  Stonewall  Jackson  asks  a  few  Questions. .  49 
V.  "  Find  her,  and — make  love  to  her  " 57 

BOOK  11. 

THE  PROVOST-MARSHAL  AT  BALTIMORE, 

VI.  Major  Ananias  of  Stuart's  Cavalry 67 

VII.  A  Blow  in  the  Dark 77 

VIII.  The  Luncheon  at  Guy's 85 

IX.  "Give  me  five  minutes  alone  with  her".. .  96 

BOOK  III. 

A  BEAUTIFUL  ENIGMA. 

X.  Washington  in  1862 104 

XI.  Mr.  Arago's  Treasury  Girl 117 

XII.  Baker's  Secret  Service 125 

XIII.  Mrs.  Senator  Bream's  Dance 132 

XIV.  The  Belle  of  the  Army 142 

XV.  The  Cigar  Store  near  the  War  Department.  152 

XVI.  Special  Order  No.  1410. , 164 


4  CONTENTS 

BOOK  IV. 

THE  BATTLE  FOR  HER  LIFE. 

CHAPTER 

XVII.  The  Touch  of  the  Mouchard 176 

XVIII.  The  Nuptials  of  Damocles 188 

XIX.  Lammersdorff  the  Sutler 200 

XX.  Dead  Men  tell  no  Tales 212 

XXI.  A  Night  at  Port  Tobacco 219 

XXII.  Quashie,  the  Secesh  Negro 231 

XXIII.  "  I  have  been  traitor  enough  "...    242 

BOOK  V. 

THE   BATTLE    FOR   HER  LOVE. 

XXIV.  "  I  will  go  to  the  Rebel  capital  " 251 

XXV.  Major  Billy  Hamilton,  C.  S.  A 262 

XXVI.  By  Day  in  Richmond 272 

XXVII.  By  Night  in  Richmond 283 

XXVIII.  The  Drooping  Colors 293 

XXIX.  The  ^Egis  of  the  Dead  President 305 

Appendix. .» 316 


BILLY  HAMILTON. 

BOOK  I. 

HOW  STONEWALL  JACKSON   CAME  TO 
FREDERICK. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CAVALRY   PICKET   AT   NORTON'S  FERRY. 

IT  is  night  on  the  Potomac — the  night  of  the  4th  of 
September  of  the  year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred 
and  sixty-two  ;  when  one  man's  hand  is  against  an- 
other man's  hand  ;  when  the  shadow  of  a  bush  may 
conceal  a  Confederate  sharpshooter  ;  when  the  light  of 
a  firefly  may  develop  into  the  flash  of  an  Enfield  whose 
whistling  bullet  will  bring  death — this  night  when  I, 
William  Fairfax  Hamilton,  captain  in  command  of  a 
troop  of  the  First  Union  Kentucky  Cavalry,  am  guard- 
ing Norton's  Ford  on  the  Upper  Potomac,  and  prevent- 
ing the  carrying  of  goods  contraband  of  war,  medicines 
for  the  Confederate  service,  despatches  from  Washing- 
ton spies,  and  the  crossing  of  innocent  Maryland  farm- 
ers into  Virginia  to  give  the  Southern  generals  notice 
of  our  movements. 

In  addition  to  this,  my  instructions  specially  charge 
me  to  furnish,  by  courier  riding  for  his  life,  the  earliest 
news  of  the  crossing  of  the  advance  divisions  of  the 
Confederate  army  under  Stonewall  Jackson,  now  ex- 
pected to  invade  Maryland. 

The  bulk  of  my  command  occupies  a  knoll  covered 
with  second  growth  of  pine  and  fir,  distant  fifty  yards 
from  the  river,  along  whose  banks  my  sentries  are 
placed. 

5 


6  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Immediately  behind  me,  a  few  yards  away,  is  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal,  crossed  at  this  point  by  a 
small  bridge,  which  of  course  is  also  guarded.  Beyond 
this  is  the  rolling  valley  of  the  Monocacy  River,  which 
running  down  from  Frederick  City  joins  the  Potomac 
some  mile  and  a  half  away.  To  the  north,  Sugar  Loaf 
Mountain  rises.  To  the  west,  something  over  two  miles 
distant,  is  The  Point  of  Rocks,  where  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Railway,  coming  through  the  great  limestone 
cliffs  of  the  Potomac  gorge  from  Harper's  Ferry — now 
occupied  by  General  White  and  Colonel  Miles  and 
eleven  thousand  Union  soldiers — turns  sharply  to  the 
north  and  runs  up  the  Monocacy  Valley  on  its  way  to 
Washington,  passing  south  of  Frederick 

These  details  of  scenery  are  not  apparent  to  my  eye, 
everything  being  shrouded  in  the  gloom  of  a  summer 
night,  the  sky  just  now  made  dark  by  some  passing 
thunder  clouds. 

To  prevent  surprise,  or  loss  of  men  by  sharpshooters, 
I  have  ordered  no  camp-fires  shall  be  lighted  this 
warm  September  evening. 

I  peer  into  the  inky  blackness  and  my  feelings  are 
more  gloomy  than  the  night  itself,  as  I  think  of  the  de- 
moralization in  the  capital,  which  I  had  left  but  five 
days  before,  being  hastily  ordered  on  this  service,  when 
Washington  was  shaking  with  fear  of  capture,  after 
Pope's  defeat  at  the  Second  Battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  the 
Cabinet  and  War  Office  were  appealing  to  General 
McClellan  to  reorganize  the  army  and  save  Maryland 
to  the  Union. 

I  have  just  returned  from  my  rounds,  after  very  care- 
fully inspecting  the  sentries  posted  near  the  banks  of 
the  river,  which  is  now  in  this  September  so  low  as  to 
be  easily  fordable,  and  consequently  more  difficult  to 
properly  patrol  and  guard.  My  ears  being  very  wide 
open  to  catch  any  sound  from  the  direction  of  the  Vir- 
ginia shore  which  may  proclaim  the  approach  of  Lee's 
victorious  legions  to  the  boundaries  of  Maryland — my 
State— rthe  conversation  from  some  near-by  members 
of  my  troop,  who  do  not  discern  me  in  the  dark- 
ness, comes  sharply  to  my  hearing  proclaiming  that  my 
subordinates  appreciate  my  situation  as  clearly  as  I 
do. 

"I  jist  about  guess,"  floats  to  me  in  Yankee  twang, 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  f 

"that  if  the  Rebs  swoop  over  here  and  capture  'My 
Maryland,*  it  11  be  tarnation  hard  on  the  Cap." 

"Sure,  if  his  State  turns  traitor,  what'll  become  of 
the  poor  divil  ?  Begob,  they  say  the  Cap's  the  only 
Union  one  in  the  houl  family." 

This  last  is  in  the  tones  of  Sergeant  Lommox,  a  hard- 
riding  Irishman  who  somehow  has  found  his  way  from 
the  British  light  cavalry  service  into  my  Kentucky  regi- 
ment ;  although,  wherever  hard  blows  are  plenty  and 
gunpowder  is  burnt  freely,  there  are  sure  to  be  some 
of  his  combative  race. 

"Bedad,  this  is  a  mixed  up  scrimmage  anyway,"  the 
sergeant  continues.  "Some  say  we're  fighting  to  free 
the  niggers  ;  some  say  we  ain't.  Tare  an'  ages,  I'm 
always  asking  myself  when  I'm  sober  what  am  I  fight- 
ing for  anyway?  It  isn't  for  grub!  Sure,  army  ra- 
tions are  too  divilish  bad  to  make  a  cat  enlist.  As  for 
the  Cap,  they  say  his  own  family  has  cut  him  dead ; 
his  father  fired  him  out  of  the  house  in  Baltimore,  and 
his  sweetheart  spat  in  his  face,  because  he's  fighting 
for  the  Union." 

These  last  remarks  as  to  family  and  sweetheart  are  a 
libel.  I  have  no  sweetheart,  therefore  none  spat  in 
my  face,  and  my  family  are  at  present  blissfully  igno- 
rant that  I  am  a  Union  officer,  and  think  that  I,  wear- 
ing a  Confederate  uniform  and  carrying  a  Confederate 
commission  in  my  pocket,  am  fighting  under  Lee  and 
against  my  country. 

As  I  think  of  the  deception  I  have  been  compelled 
to  practise  on  the  dear  ones  of  my  home,  my  thoughts 
of  war  are  obliterated  by  reflections  upon  my  unhappy 
social  environment.  For  as  soon  as  it  is  known  to 
them  that  I,  William  Fairfax  Hamilton,  wear  a  blue 
uniform,  my  hosts  of  friends  in  my  native  city  of  Bal- 
timore will  be  my  friends  no  longer,  and  my  loving 
sisters  and  doting  father  will  be  mine  no  more ;  be- 
cause I  am  doing  what  I  was  educated  to  do — fight  for 
my  flag. 

My  peculiar  position  has  come  about  in  a  rather 
curious  manner. 

Before  interstate  trouble  was  imminent,  in  1857,  my 
father  had  obtained  for  me  an  appointment  to  the 
national  military  academy  at  West  Point.  After  the 
secession  of  South  Carolina  and  formation  of  the  Con- 


8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

federacy  most  of  the  cadets  from  the  Southern  and  Bor- 
der States  had  tendered  their  resignations. 

These  one  and  all  had  been  refused  by  the  War  De- 
partment. Thereupon,  most  of  the  Southern  cadets 
had,  without  leave,  returned  to  their  own  States,  and 
were  forthwith  entered  upon  the  records  of  the  War 
Department  as  having  deserted  their  colors  in  the  face 
of  the  enemy.  Not  wishing  such  an  implied  stigma  to 
be  placed  upon  me,  my  state  not  having  seceded,  I,  who 
had  always  taken  a  very  strict  view  of  a  soldier's  dis- 
cipline and  duty,  had  remained,  and  received  my  com- 
mission in  that  year  of  the  double  graduation,  1861, 
when,  with  the  desire  of  placing  officers  in  the  field  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  the  term  of  instruction  at  West  Point 
had  been  greatly  shortened  ;  my  class  being  the  later 
one,  B  of  June,  my  name  not  appearing  on  the  rolls  as 
from  Maryland,  my  appointment  to  the  academy  hav- 
ing been  made  at  large  by  President  Buchanan. 

But  during  my  cadetship,  I  had,  perchance  from  nor- 
thern associations,  perhaps  from  more  conservative  and 
later  reflection,  but  most  probably  on  account  of  my 
views  of  military  honor,  determined  it  was  my  duty  to 
support  the  flag  of  the  United  States.  Without  going 
over  the  pros  and  cons  of  a  matter  that  has  been 
argued  in  the  halls  of  Congress,  in  all  debating  societies, 
in  every  cross-road  tavern  of  the  country,  suffice  it  to 
say  that  for  reasons  sufficient  to  myself  I  had  made  up 
my  mind  to  serve  in  the  army  of  the  Union  ;  though 
greatly  fearing  it  would  bring  upon  me  the  displeasure 
of  both  friends  and  kindred. 

So,  having  graduated,  instead  of  resigning  and  join- 
ing the  Confederates,  as  my  family  doubtless  hoped 
and  expected,  I  was  still  true  to  the  banner  under 
which  I  had  marched  from  Plebe  to  First-classman. 

In  order  to  fortify  myself  in  this  resolution,  I  had, 
without  visiting  my  home,  journeyed  to  Washington 
and  secured  from  the  War  Department  my  commission 
in  one  of  the  new  cavalry  regiments  just  being  formed, 
in  an  attempt  to  make  efficient  that  branch  of  the  serv- 
ice, which  in  the  first  year  or  two  of  the  war  was  the 
jeer  of  the  Rebels  and  the  disgrace  of  the  Federals,  its 
condition  being  so  pitiable  that  McClellan  took  as  few 
cavalry  as  possible  with  him  to  the  Peninsula,  many 
so-called  troopers  being  such  incompetent  horsemen 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  9 

that  they  could  scarce  manage  their  arms  and  steeds 
at  the  same  moment. 

In  an  effort  to  overcome  this,  several  new  mounted 
regiments  were  being  raised  in  the  Border  States,  Ken- 
tucky, Maryland,  and  Missouri,  whose  men  had  been 
cavaliers  from  childhood.  These  were  now  being 
rapidly  instructed  in  the  school  of  the  trooper,  and  the 
nucleus  of  that  great  cavalry  armament  which  under 
Custer  and  Sheridan  did  such  fine  work  in  the  last  years 
of  the  -war,  was  being  formed. 

In  the  hope  of  doing  my  share  towards  this,  I  had 
accepted  a  captain's  commission  in  the  First  Kentucky 
Cavalry,  and  with  this  document  in  my  pocket  had  im- 
mediately gone  to  that  State  to  drill  and  equip  my 
troop — very  glad  that  my  duty  took  me  far  away  from 
my  friends  and  family  in  Baltimore. 

Though  thoroughly  determined  to  fight  upon  the 
Union  side,  I  still  shrank  from  the  ordeal  of  proclaim- 
ing myself  one  of  the  army  of  Uncle  Sam,  to  the  friends 
of  my  boyhood  in  Baltimore  and  the  father  and  sisters 
who  loved  me — all  rabid  Southerners,  and  made  bitter 
against  all  who  differed  from  them  by  the  potent  pas- 
sions of  that  awful  time,  when  neighbor  turned  against 
neighbor,  and  brother  against  brother,  and  friend  shot 
down  friend,  in  the  so-called  Border  States,  which  suf- 
fered more  from  the  war  than  any  other  of  their  sister 
common  wealths. 

After  rny  regiment  was  organized,  equipped,  mustered 
in  and  drilled,  at  the  end  of  the  opening  campaign  in 
Tennessee  where  my  command  proved  its  effectiveness 
at  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson  and  also  at  Shiloh  ;  in 
very  desperation  at  the  inefficiency  of  the  cavalry  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  War  Department  had 
ordered  us  east. 

Here,  in  the  summer  of  1862,  on  reporting  at  Wash- 
ington, I  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  few  days'  leave  of 
absence.  Desperately  anxious  to  see  my  father  and 
sisters,  after  telegraphing  word  of  my  coming,  I, 
dressed  in  mufti,  had  made  my  appearance  at  the 
town-house  of  my  ancestors,  in  Charles  Street,  Balti- 
more, to  be  received  in  a  manner  of  which  perchance 
I  had  had  some  suspicion,  but  which  my  imagination 
had  painted  in  by  no  neans  the  vivid  colors  that 
actually  took  form  before  my  eyes. 


IO  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Pretty  little  Birdie,  my  younger  sister,  a  maid  of 
sweet  eighteen,  meets  me  in  the  hall,  looking  most 
charming,  her  blonde  hair  done  up  in  fashionable  water- 
fall, and  her  pretty  feet  in  their  Balmoral  boots  peeping 
out  from  skirts  enormously  crinolined  to  the  extreme 
of  fashion,  and  throwing  her  arms  around  me,  cries  : 
"Billy,  thank  God  you're  back! — Where  have  you 
been  these  six  months  ? — Of  course  it's  been  something 
for  the  cause.  How  soldierly  you  look  ! "  Then 
between  kisses,  she  suggests  :  '  Now  papa  has  a  sur- 
prise for  you.  How  well  you'll  look  in  Confederate 
gray  !  But  don't  let  those  horrid  Feds  know  of  it,  or 
they'll  arrest  you  at  once."  This  last  is  whispered  in 
my  ear,  as  if  the  walls  might  betray  us. 

A  moment  later,  Virginia,  my  elder  sister,  a  stately 
young  lady  of  about  twenty,  makes  her  appearance,  and 
with  equally  fervid  embrace  exclaims:  "Billy,  thank 
Heaven  you've  come — at  last !  We've  all  been  anxious 
for  you  since  you  did  not  return  to  us  after  graduation. 
We  sometimes  thought  you  had  feared  arrest  and  gone 
straight  to  Virginia.  Where  have  you  been  ? " 

"That  I — I  had  rather  not  tell  you, "  I  answer  between 
kisses. 

Something  in  my  manner  impresses  her.  She  mut- 
ters :  "Ah,  I  understand.  God  bless  you,  Billy!  You 
do  not  wish  to  compromise  us  by  your  revelations." 

"Yes;  you — you  had  better  not  know,"  I  stammer 
shamefacedly.  To  this  I  add,  stroking  a  moustache 
which,  cultivated  assiduously  during  one  campaign,  is 
now  quite  soldierly  :  "Is  the  guv'nor  in ? " 

"Yes;  he's  waiting  for  you  in  the  library.  He 
didn't  wish  to  speak  to  you  before  the  servants.  You 
know,  some  of  them — ungrateful  creatures — have  politi- 
cal sympathy  with  our  invaders.  The  poor  foolish 
things  think  they'll  be  made  free,  and  do  not  know 
they'd  starve  if  they  were." 

"Very  well;  I  will  go  in  and  see  father,"  I  re- 
mark, my  face  growing  so  gloomy  that  the  two  darling 
girls  put  a  pang  in  my  heart  by  gasping  sympatheti- 
cally :  "  You  must  have  bad  news.  You — you've  been 
captured. " 

"No,  not  yet,"  I  mutter. 

Then  Birdie  suddenly  falters  :  "  You've  been 
wounded,"  and  cries:  "A — a  sabre-cut  just  healed, 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  H 

I  see  it  upon  his  cheek,"  and  the  next  instant  the  two 
stab  me  with  their  sweet  lips  as  they  kiss  and  cry  over  a 
scratch  I  had  received  at  Shiloh,  and  whisper  :  "Thank 
Heaven  !  you've  been  in  our  army." 

"Pooh,  it  is  nothing!"  1  mutter,  in  a  hang-dog 
way,  as  I  put  them  tenderly  from  me  and  open  the 
library  door,  to  be  cordially  embraced  by  my  father, 
a  gentleman  of  old-school  manners. 

"My  dear  boy,"  he  says,  his  grizzled  moustache 
twitching  a  little,  "you  have  come  home  at  last.  You 
did  not  even  write  to  us  when  you  left  West  Point.  I 
imagine,  for  fear  your  letter  might  be  opened  by  the 
damned  Yankee  postmaster,  one  of  the  spies  upon  us. 
Neither  I  nor  your  sisters  could  bear  to  go  up  and  see 
you  march  under  that  infernal  flag,  therefore  none  of 
us  could  witness  your  graduation.  I  feared  you  thought 
we  had  slighted  you.  Where  have  you  been  ?  " 

Receiving  no  answer  to  this,  he  asks  almost  severely  : 
"  Not  shirking  your  duty,  I  hope?" 

"No  !  "     I  answer  proudly. 

Then  as  he  sees  the  slight  sabre  scratch,  his  old  eyes 
light  with  pride,  he  whispers  :  "My  own  boy!  your 
wound  shows  me  !  "  and  taking  me  in  his  arms,  blesses 
me. 

Good  God  !  How  can  I  tell  my  father  I  received  it 
righting  against  the  cause  he  worships  ? 

Then  he  inspects  me  anxiously,  his  lips  trembling. 
His  eyes  have  love  and  even  anguish  in  them  as  he 
mutters  :  ' '  You  are  the  last  who  bears  our  name.  Still, 
you  must  bear  it  honorably,  even  if  to  death." 

Before  I  can  reply  to  this,  he  suddenly  astounds  me  ; 
by  whispering,  extreme  significance  in  his  low  voice  : 
"Across  in  Virginia,  Lee,  Jackson  and  Davis  know 
what  a  West  Point  education  means.  The  proof  of  it  is 
here  !  "  With  this  he  goes  to  the  door  and  locks  it,  then 
draws  down  the  blinds  of  the  library  windows,  to  ensure 
absolute  privacy.  As  I  gaze  at  him  wonderingly,  he 
opens  a  secret  drawer  in  the  old-fashioned  wainscoting 
of  the  room  and  produces  from  among  some  papers  a 
document  of  official  form.  Placing  it  in  my  hand,  he 
remarks  with  a  profound  bow  :  "Major  Hamilton  of 
the  Confederate  Army,  I  greet  you." 

As  I  inspect  this  document  blankly,  in  a  dazed  sort 
of  way,  I  see,  with  a  start  of  horror,  that  it  is  a  com- 


12  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

mission  made  out  to  William  Fairfax  Hamilton,  and 
signed  by  Jefferson  Davis,  President  of  the  Confederate 
States  of  America,  and  by  Randolph,  his  Secretary  of 
War. 

The  old  gentleman  chuckles,  "A  pleasing  surprise 
for  you,  eh?"  then  suddenly  ejaculates,  "  Curious,  they 
did  not  tell  you  of  this  in  Richmond." 

"  I — I  was  in  the  West ! "     I  stammer. 

"Ah,  that  explains  it !  "  remarks  my  father.  "  I  ap- 
plied for  it  a  year  ago,  but  only  received  the  document 
recently,  the  difficulties  of  transmitting  it  through  the 
blockade  were  so  great.  You  see  the  Southern  leaders 
appreciate  your  military  training  :  the  commission  of 
Major  indicates  that.  Your  wound  does  not  incapaci- 
tate you  from  active  duty  ?  "  he  asks  nervously. 

"  Not  at  all,  I  am  happy  to  say." 

"Then  you'll  be  anxious  to  get  into  the  field  once 
more — to  free  your  native  city — all  the  more  eager 
when  you  see  infamous  Federal  soldiers  marching  in 
the  streets  of  this  unhappy  town — when  you  behold 
accursed  Northern  guns  threatening  our  very  homes — 
when  you  note  Yankee  officers  flaunting  their  damned 
blue  tyrants'  uniforms  in  our  streets. " 

These  remarks  give  me  a  shudder.  A  blue  cloth 
"tyrant's "  uniform  is  packed  securely  in  my  trunk. 
This,  the  noise  from  the  hall  indicates,  is  even  now 
being  carried  upstairs  by  Jonas  and  Jumbo,  our  darky 
footmen. 

"Of  course  it  is  hard  to  part  from  you, "continues 
the  old  gentleman  almost  brokenly,  "but  every  man 
must  do  his  duty.  Your  sisters  and  I  always  knew  you 
were  doing  your  devoir."  For  into  his  mind  never 
seems  to  come  the  thought  that  my  West  Point 
education  may  have  placed  in  me  different  views 
from  his  as  to  my  duty  in  this  crisis  of  the  nation 
— that  I  can  fight  on  any  other  side  but  the  one  he 
loves. 

Under  these  circumstances,  although  with  no  thought 
that  I  will  be  anything  but  what  I  am,  an  officer  of  the 
Union,  I  can't  bring  myself  to  contradict  him  ;  per- 
chance because  I  wish  a  few  more  kisses  from  my  dear 
sisters,  a  few  more  tender  looks  from  my  beloved 
father,  which  I  know  will  be  no  longer  mine  after  they 
know. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  13 

"Still,  I  can't  carry  that  accursed  paper  about  with 
me,"  I  think. 

So,  remarking  nonchalantly:  "For  my  sisters' 
safety  this  had  better  be  destroyed,"  I  am  about  to  place 
my  commission  in  the  Confederate  Army  in  the  flame 
of  a  wax  taper,  burning  for  convenience  in  sealing 
letters,  after  the  old-fashioned  custom  which  being 
a  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  my  governor  always 
adheres  to. 

But  his  hand  is  on  my  arm.  He  mutters  hoarsely  : 
"  Don't  shame  your  sisters,  sir,  by  thinking  they  would 
not  risk  as  much  as  you  or  I,  for  the  cause  they  love." 

"If  you  take  it  in  that  light,"  I  return,  a  choking 
sensation  in  my  throat,  "the  document  remains  with 
me."  With  this,  I  place  it  carefully  in  my  breast 
pocket,  buttoning  my  coat  over  it.  For  into  my  mind 
has  flown  suddenly  the  idea  that  this  little  paper  of 
Jeff  Davis'  may  in  some  supreme  crisis  enable  me  to 
do  a  great  thing  for  my  country.  "Still,  with  this  on 
my  person,"  I  mutter,  "I  had  better  not  remain  in 
Baltimore  very  long." 

"Of  course  not,"  he  answers.  "Go  and  do  your 
duty.  Now  step  out  and  join  your  sisters.  I — I  will 
see  you,  Billy,  before  you  go." 

As  I  turn  from  him,  I  feel  I  am  playing  traitor  to 
those  I  love  so  dearly  ;  for  the  old  gentleman  has  sunk 
into  a  chair,  and  putting  his  head  upon  his  writing- 
table,  is  striving  to  conceal  his  emotion. 

In  the  dining-room,  at  lunch  with  my  two  fair  sis- 
ters, the  prospect  seems  no  more  reassuring.  Guessing 
what  they  will  say  to  me  when  they  discover  I  am  one 
of  the  blue  uniforms  they  hate,  I  feel  it  is  almost  a  re- 
lief that  my  loved  mother  died  ten  years  ago,  for  I  fear 
I  could  never  have  resisted  her,  had  her  arms  been  put 
about  me  and  her  sweet  voice  lured  me  from  what  my 
Western  campaign  has  confirmed,  even  more  than  my 
West  Point  education,  as  my  duty. 

Even  now,  though  they  do  not  guess  I  am  recreant ; 
every  tone  of  my  sisters'  sweet  voices  is  a  temptation 
to  me  to  fight  against  my  flag. 

As  darling  Virginia  pours  out  my  coffee,  she  mur- 
murs, tears  coming  into  her  brown  eyes  :  "  It'll  be 
hard  to  part  with  you  again,  Billy.  I  see  what  papa 
has  told  you  has  already  saddened  your  countenance  ; 


14  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

but  I  would  to  heaven  I  were  a  man,"  her  pretty  white 
teeth  come  together  with  a  snap,  "that  I  might  go 
and  strike  with  you  for  the  South.  As  it  is,  we  women 
can  only  pray  for  you,  and  nurse  you  if  we  have  the 
opportunity." 

"Oh,  don't  be  so  gloomy,  Virgie  !  "  cries  dear  little 
Birdie  from  the  other  side  of  the  table,  attempting  a 
whimpering  lightheartedness  as  she  plays  with  her 
oysters.  "There's  a  girl  in  Virginia  who'll  nurse  him 
in  a  manner  more  to  his  taste.  'Deed  she  will ! " 

"  Who  is  that  ?  "  I  ask,  astonished. 

"The  girl  to  whom  you're  engaged,  sir,  of  course." 
This  comes  indignantly  from  my  elder  sister. 

' '  The  girl  to  whom  I  am  engaged  !    What  girl  ?  " 

"  What  girl  j3  Oh  goodness,  he's  forgotten  his  little 
sweetheart !  "  giggles  Birdie. 

"Your  affianced  wife,  William,  Eva  Vernon  Ashley. 
I  am  surprised  at  you  !  "  remarks  Virginia  in  stately 
severity. 

"That  chit?"  I  laugh.  "By  George!  she  had 
slipped  my  memory." 

"  Chit  j3  Wait  till  you  see  her !"  ejaculates  my  elder 
sister. 

"Oh,  yes!  Cadets  have  so  many  sweethearts," 
sneers  Birdie.  Then  she  cries  with  a  shudder :  "  Oh,  if 
I  thought  you  loved  some  hateful  Northern  thing  !  " 

"  No,"  I  reply,  stabbing  a  soft-shell  crab,  which  de- 
lights my  palate  after  campaign  rations.  "Behold  a 
free  heart." 

"Ah.  then,  it's  all  right ;  true  to  Eve  yet." 

"  True  to  her  as  to  any  woman.  By-the-by,  so  Eve 
is  already  a  woman  ?  The  last  time  I  saw  her  she  was 
ten — a  pretty  enough  nursery  witch.  But  then  I  was 
a  man  of  fourteen,  and  disdained  her." 

"She  thinks  you  protected  her  !  I  can  recollect  now, 
as  a  little  tot,  how  you — you  guarded  her — though  in 
a  very  lordly  manner,"  laughs  Virginia.  "  Besides  you 
must  remember,  my  brother,  that  it  has  been  an  under- 
standing among  the  families  that  William  Fairfax 
Hamilton  is  to  wed  Eva  Vernon  Ashley." 

"Yes,  I  believe  there  was  some  talk  of  that  when  I 
was  in  pinafores  and  Eve  in  short  skirts,"  I  reply,  add- 
ing with  military  nonchalance  :  "Still,  I  think  I  have 
seen  girls  who  looked  better." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  15 

*'  Not  girls  more  beautiful  1 "  remarks  stately  Virginia. 
"Eve  is  the  most  lovely  thing  on  either  side  of  the 
Potomac.  She  came  to  us  over  a  year  ago — before  the 
fighting  began — accompanied  by  her  half-brother, 
Charlie  St.  George." 

"You  know  he's  a  captain  in  Colonel  Mumford's 
Second  Virginia  Cavalry,  and  awfully  handsome," 
throws  in  Birdie  with  a  suggestive  blush. 

"  But  the  young  lady  ?  "  I  question  sharply. 

"Oh!  Eva  1 "  cries  my  younger  sister.  "She  was 
nineteen  then  and  lovely  enough  to  make  Baltimore 
men  crazy  ;  and  you  know  we've  got  some  few  beau- 
ties in  this  town — at  least  Captain  St.  George  said 
so." 

"To  you  personally  P"  I  query  with  a  smile  that 
makes  dear  little  Birdie's  face  redder.  Then  I  go  on 
philosophically  :  "I  suppose  the  young  lady  has  for- 
gotten about  the  old-time  idea  of  our  parents  ?  " 

Virginia's  answer  startles  me.  "On  the  contrary," 
she  says,  "  I  am  sure  Miss  Ashley  thinks  a  great  deal 
about  it.  She  knows  it  was  her  dead  father's  wish — 
our  Virginia  properties  adjoin.  Her  mother  still  keeps 
it  before  her." 

"  Great  goodness  !  "  I  cry,  "  you  don't  mean  to  say 
Eve  considers  herself  as  my  affianced  ! " 

"  I  know  she  did  when  she  came  here,  for  she  was 
always  asking  about  you — though  she,  of  course,  was 
too  maidenly  to  write  to  you.  Bfct  I  am  sure  when 
you  reach  Virginia  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  go  up  to 
Miss  Ashley,  in  your  Confederate  uniform,  and  you'll 
find  it  all  right  I "  The  Confederate  part  of  this  is  in  a 
whisper. 

"She  didn't  leave  any  ambrotype,  daguerreotype  or 
photograph  for  me,  did  she  ?  "  I  ask  in  uneasy  face- 
tiousness. 

"  Certainly  not.  Your  fiancee,  sir,  has  been  brought 
up,  I  am  happy  to  say,  in  Virginia  old-school  manners," 
remarks  my  elder  sister  severely. 

"But  she  stole  a  photograph  of  you — the  one  in  the 
West  Point  uniform,"  giggles  Birdie. 

"Glad  it  impressed  her  favorably,"  I  laugh,  in  the 
easy  assurance  of  military  youth. 

"  Well,  I  should  think  it  would,"  murmurs  my  younger 
•ister,  who  seems  proud  of  me.  "  Five  feet  ten  ;  dark, 


BILLY   HAMILTON. 

a    Cavalry 


"And  a  most  unblushing  assurance! 


youhsoo,1,heshou,d  steto 


Very  be!»"if"l'"  I  ask  rather 
ry  at  Iast  ' 


remar|S  Vireinia  scornfully.     -Wait 

at 


Run  upstairs  and  see  1 

WOrd'  th!s  l  do-to  my  con- 


Seoyooon,hean«  n 

com  i  no-      TK  x          table  are  flowers  to  P-reet  m 

coming.     The  next  second  I  have  opened  tfc  c 

wi!h1earsanF^PTreCati?n.°f  ra^e  '  then  ™Y  eyes  fill 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  If 

that  snows  the  Rebel  garb  is  the  work  of  the  loving 
hands  of  my  two  sisters — for  me,  their  Union  brother. 

Filled  with  almost  despair  at  the  situation  that  con« 
fronts  me — for  it  is  worse  than  I  even  imagined  it  would 
be — I  stride  downstairs  and,  leaving  the  house,  wan- 
der aimless  and  dazed  about  the  streets  of  my  native 
city.  Here  my  peace  of  mind  is  not  increased  by  see- 
ing a  handsome  Federal  lieutenant,  apparently  of  the 
artillery,  and  stationed  at  Fort  McHenry,  step  into  a 
street  car,  and  every  lady,  young  or  old,  turn  their 
faces  from  him,  and,  as  at  various  times  they  pass  by 
him,  draw  their  skirts  away,  as  if  contact  with  his 
uniform  were  contamination. 

I  shiver  as  I  think  :  "What  if  I  loved  any  of  these  fair 
ones  ?  "  as  I  remember  the  fate  of  my  poor  friend,  George 
Arden  Thornton,  of  Virginian  birth,  who  graduated  two 
classes  before  me  and  took  his  place  in  the  Union  army. 
After  being  brevetted  for  great  gallantry  at  the  first  battle 
of  Bull  Run,  lured  by  the  eyes  of  a  lovely  Virginia  girl 
and  stabbed  by  her  cutting  invective,  he  had  resigned 
his  commission,  and,  when  his  resignation  was  refused, 
taken  French  leave  and  galloped  across  the  Potomac 
to  join  the  Confederate  legions  of  Lee  and  Jackson. 

Even  now  there  is  a  curious  record  written  against 
his  name  in  the  annals  of  the  War  Department. 

"  Dismissed.  Having  tendered  his  resignation  when  in  the  face  of 
the  Rebels." 

Though  from  all  accounts,  the  said  George  Arden 
Thornton  was  never  a  coward  after  he  joined  the 
Southern  ranks,  as  many  a  slashing  charge  with  the 
rough-riding  troopers  of  Stuart  and  Fitz  Lee  bore  record. 
Besides  that,  he  got  the  girl  I  L 

I  stroll  into  the  Maryland  Club.  There  it  is  no 
better  ;  in  fact,  it  is  worse  ;  for  many  of  my  old  friends, 
thinking  of  course  I  am  one  of  them  in  sentiment,  talk 
what  I  consider  treason.  So,  fearful  of  my  temper  and 
to  avoid  altercations  which  would  surely  arise  if  I 
expressed  my  feelings,  I  leave  its  charming  billiard 
parlor,  where  the  "Chief"  is  making  one  of  his  famous 
runs,  convinced  that  Baltimore  and  I  will  very  shortly 
be  on  exceedingly  bad  terms.  If  I  did  my  duty,  half 
of  them  would  be  in  Fort  McHenry  by  evening  ;  if 


1 8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

I  did  my  full  military  duly — Good  Heavens  ! — what 
would  happen  to  my  dear  father  ? 

I  cannot  stay.  I  must  end  the  thing,  and  end  it 
quickly. 

With  this  idea  in  my  mind,  I  stride  home  and  impress 
upon  my  father  and  sisters  that  circumstances  con- 
vince me  I  must  go  to  the  front  at  once. 

"Ah,  I  understand,"  whispers  my  governor.  "You 
feel  with  that  paper  in  your  pocket,  you  must  be  in  the 
ranks  of  battle."  You'll  run  the  blockade  across  the 
lower  Potomac  from  Leonardston,  I  presume,"  he  con- 
tinues. "Ask  for  Wat  Bowie  ;  he  can  get  you  across 
if  any  man  can,"  adds  the  old  gentleman,  his  tones 
easy  though  I  note  his  moustache  is  twitching. 

Then  my  loved  ones  almost  shake  my  resolution. 
My  sweet  sisters,  sobbing  as  if  their  hearts  would 
break,  whisper:  "Go,  dear  brother,  and  do  your 
duty  !  " 

My  father  takes  me  in  his  arms  and  mutters  :  "  Pre- 
sent my  compliments  to  Jefferson  Davis  in  Richmond, 
my  boy  !  " 

"I  hope  to  !  "  I  answer,  scarce  noting  the  signifi- 
cance of  my  remark. 

Then  as  if  to  drive  the  gloom  of  parting  from  his 
mind,  my  governor  suggests  :  "Of  course  you'll  see 
your  affianced.  Tell  her  mother,  with  my  love,  we'll 
have  a  grand  wedding  in  a  year  or  two,  when  the 
Yanks  have  fled  to  Canada." 

"Oh,  you  mean  Miss  Ashley,"  I  try  to  laugh.  "Yes, 
I'll  marry  her  after  the  Yanks  have  fled  to  Canada." 

With  this  half-jeering  promise  on  my  lips,  followed 
by  their  blessings,  their  tears,  their  love,  I  get  away 
from  the  house  and  fly  from  Baltimore,  cursing  myself 
for  not  having  the  moral  courage  to  tell  them  I  am  the 
enemy  of  their  cause. 

In  my  trunk  is  the  gray  Confederate  uniform.  To 
leave  it  were  to  create  astonishment,  perhaps  doubt,  in 
my  sisters'  minds. 

In  my  pocket  is  Jeff  Davis'  commission — a  very  dan- 
gerous document  for  a  Union  Border-State  officer  to 
carry,  in  Maryland  in  the  year  1862.  Found  upon  my 
person,  this  would  be  prima  facie  evidence  of  my 
treason. 

This  I  must  guard  against  1 


BILLY   HAMILTON,  19 

Therefore,  arriving  at  Washington,  I  order  the  hack- 
man  to  drive  straight  to  the  War  Department,  and  send 
up  my  card. 

To  my  astonishment,  I  am  almost  immediately 
shown  into  the  private  office  of  that  man  of  blood  and 
iron  who  held  Washington — ay,  even  this  whole 
country — so  firmly  in  his  hand  during  the  last  three 
years  of  that  frightful  struggle — Edwin  McMasters 
Stanton. 

As  Madison,  the  darkey  factotum  of  the  secretary, 
opens  the  door,  and  I,  entering,  make  salute,  a  clear, 
cold,  stately  voice  greets  me  with  :  "  You  are  Captain 
W.  F.  Hamilton,  of  the  First  Kentucky  Cavalry,  bre- 
vetted  for  gallantry  at  Shiloh,  just  returned  from  a 
visit  to  your  Rebel  friends  and  relatives  in  Baltimore  ; 
what  do  you  want  with  me,  sir  ? " 

For  a  moment  I  stand,  astonished  at  the  under-sized 
figure  of  the  Secretary  of  War  ;  then  as  I  look  at  him 
he  seems  to  become  a  giant.  The  great  eyes  flash 
through  their  glasses  at  me  ;  the  dilated  nostrils  appear 
expanded  by  latent  fire  ;  the  massive  forehead,  which 
is  for  one  moment  that  of  a  judge,  contracts  and  be- 
comes that  of  an  inquisitor.  "  Why  are  you  not  in 
uniform  ? "  is  thundered  at  me. 

I  can  see  anger,  even  suspicion,  in  his  glance. 

An  inspiration  prompts  me  to  speak  quickly.  "  I 
am  not  in  uniform,"  I  say,  "because  the  matter  is  so 
urgent. " 

"What  is  it?" 

"  THIS  !  "  I  unbutton  my  coat  and  place  in  his  hands 
my  Confederate  commission. 

Mr.  Stanton  inspects  it  for  a  moment,  then  chuckles 
grimly  :  "  Young  man,  you've  saved  your  neck." 

"  My  neck  !  "  I  ejaculate  with  a  start. 

"Yes.  In  an  hour  you  would  have  been  arrested, 
and  with  that  in  your  possession,  what  chance  would 
you  have  had  before  a  court-martial  ?  " 

"  Arrested  ?" 

"Certainly.  Baker's  detectives  report  by  telegraph 
that  you,  a  Union  officer,  visited  your  family,  all  of 
whom  are  rabid  Secessionists,  and  departed  from  them, 
not  only  without  altercation  or  quarrel,  but  blessed 
and  caressed  by  both  father  and  sisters.  Two  of  the 
Secret  Service  were  with  you  on  the  train.  Had  you 


20  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

tried  to  leave  it  en  route,  you  would  have  been  seized. 
You  have  had  a  very  narrow  escape." 

"You  do  not  doubt  my  loyalty?  I,  who  have 
turned  my  back  on  home  and  friends  for  the  cause  ?  " 
I  gasp, 

"  Not  now!  But  you  Border-State  men  have  so  many 
temptations,  Baker  keeps  his  eyes  on  all  of  you." 

"Then  let  me  destroy  the  cursed  thing  !  "  My  hand 
is  stretched  out  to  seize  the  paper  and  tear  it  up. 

But  the  Secretary  motions  me  off,  and  holding  Jeff 
Davis'  commission  in  his  hands,  remarks  :  "  You're 
either  a  very  brave  or  very  rash  young  man,  to  have 
carried  this  with  you  ! "  Then  his  eyes  that  have 
always  been  upon  me  become  searching.  He  queries  : 
"Why  did  you  even  take  it  ?  " 

"  Because  some  day — "  I  cry. 

But  he  cuts  me  short.  "Some  day,  you  may  do  a. 
great  thing  with  it — for  your  country  ? " 

"YES  !  " 

"Then  keep  it,  and  if  the  chance  comes,  do  it  I" 
He  hands  the  document  back  to  me  and  remarks 
caustically  :  "I  shall  not  ask  you  who  gave  it  to  you. 
I  know  you  would  not  answer,  and  we  must  not  press 
you  Union  men  of  the  Border  States  too  strongly.  I 
can  guess  your  agony  in  putting  yourself  apart  from 
friends  and  kindred,  because  of  your  country,  Captain 
Hamilton." 

Then  his  tone  becomes  kindly.  He  laughs  :  "  Going 
out  again  with  that  badge  of  treason  on  you  ?  You  are 
taking  great  chances,  young  man.  Wait  till  I  make  it 
innoxious  to  you."  He  hurriedly  writes  a  few  lines 
empowering  me  to  bear  any  document  whatsoever 
for  the  service  of  the  United  States,  directing  I  shall 
be  held  harmless  for  having  them  in  my  possession. 
Signing  this,  he  gives  me  his  hand  cordially. 

Four  weeks  after,  I  find  myself  this  night,  in  com- 
mand of  a  Union  picket  guarding  the  Potomac.  The 
river  rolls  silently  beside  me,  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
float  over  me,  while  my  dear  father  and  sisters  are 
praying  for  me,  their  loved  one,  believing  me  to  be 
fighting  for  the  cause  they  adore,  under  the  Stars  and 
Bars  of  the  Confederacy. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  21 


CHAPTER  II. 

A     SWEBT     PRISONER. 

SUDDENLY  these  gloomy  reflections  are  interrupted  by 
my  first  lieutenant,  Harry  Harrod,  whispering  excitedly 
in  my  ear,  "Captain,  they  are  crossing  from  the  Vir- 
ginia side." 

"Are  you  sure?  " 

"I  hear  them  !  " 

"Very  well,"  I  order.  "Take  a  platoon  with  you  ; 
go  down  to  the  shore  again  and  warn  the  sentries  to 
be  on  the  alert." 

My  first  lieutenant  departing  on  his  errand,  I  sum- 
mon my  second.  To  him  I  remark,  "Mr.  Cartwright, 
is  the  bridge  over  the  canal  ready  to  fire  on  the  in- 
stant ?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  It's  dry  as  tinder  and  we've  soaked  the 
timbers  with  two  cases  of  coal  oil  to  make  'em  burn 
lively." 

"Quite  right !  Do  not  light  it  without  my  personal 
command  and  order  the  men  to  mount  on  the  instant. 
Don't  let  the  bugle  sound  'boots  and  saddles,'  that 
might  be  a  warning  to  the  enemy.  Direct  all  corporals 
and  sergeants  to  see  that  every  trooper  is  prepared  for 
immediate  action." 

Then  striding  to  the  near-by  bivouac  where  the 
loquacious  Lommox  is  reclining  on  the  ground,  sur- 
rounded by  three  or  four  of  his  men,  I  speak  rapidly  : 
"Sergeant,  are  you  prepared  for  your  ride  to  Washing- 
ton ? " 

"Ay,  ay,  sir.  Though  I  don't  like  running  away  as 
soon  as  the  Rebs  show  their  cursed  heads." 

"Nevertheless,  you  must  fly  the  moment  I  give 
you  my  report.  Make  straight  for  Frederick  ;  if  any 
Federal  troops  are  in  the  town,  warn  them — then  on 
to  Washington,  communicating  to  the  commanding 
officers  of  any  United  States  forces  between  Frederick 
and  that  city  the  intelligence  of  the  Confederate  cross- 
ing. Why  is  not  your  horse  ready  ? ''  I  ask  sharply. 


22  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

"I  have  me  hand  on  the  haste's  hridle  at  this  mo- 
ment,  Captain  ;  though  it's  too  dark  to  see  'em,"  an- 
swers the  Irish  sergeant  with  a  smothered  guffaw. 

Then  hurriedly,  but  silently,  I  step  down  to  the  bank 
of  the  Potomac.  One  of  the  sentries,  as  I  answer  his 
challenge,  mutters:  ''Don't  you  hear  'em,  Captain 
Hamilton?  By  the  splashing,  they're  wagons  of  some 
kind." 

"And  in  a  devil  of  a  hurry  too,"  adds  Harrod. 

"They  can't  be  part  of  the  Confederate  forces,"  I 
laugh.  "  Lee  wouldn't  invade  Maryland  with  his 
ammunition  trains  or  artillery  as  advance  guard.  Be- 
sides, these  fellows  are  running  away  from  somebody 
and  scared  out  of  their  boots." 

This  is  now  plainly  apparent  to  our  ears. 

Over  the  soft  ripple  of  the  waters  in  the  quiet  night 
air  comes  vividly  in  excited  German  accents,  "Dunncr 
und  blitzen,  Fritz!  If  dat  damned  black  mule  balks 
vonce  more  agin  mid  himshelf,  you  shoot  him,  shust 
as  he  stands,  und  cut  dem  traces  like  heel !  Mein  Gott 
in  himmel !  does  you  think  I'm  going  to  be  caught  py 
my  own  mule?  Slash  'im  !  Cut  the  hide  out  of  'im. 
I  stands  de  beer  all  around,  boys,  ven  ve  strikes  ze 
Maryland  shore." 

"Begorra,  you  bet  he  stands  the  beer  all  around 
when  he  strikes  the  Maryland  shore  !  "  chuckles  ser- 
geant Lommox,  who  is  now  by  my  side. 

This  promised  beer  seems  to  have  a  great  effect,  not 
only  on  my  sentries,  but  on  the  German's  own  men. 
The  cracking  of  whips  and  the  swash  of  the  waters  in- 
dicate the  teamsters  are  crossing  rapidly — but  not  too 
quickly  for  my  soldiers,  who  are  waiting  for  them  with 
mouths  made  thirsty  by  this  hot  night. 

"We'll  bag  'em  all,"  I  think,  grimly,  as  I  note  from 
the  sound  there  are  not  more  than  four  or  five  wagons. 
"Harrod,"  I  order  my  first  lieutenant;  "pass  the 
word  for  silence  ;  let  them  all  get  on  shore,  then  not 
one  can  escape." 

Two  minutes  after,  five  four-mule  teams,  the  drivers 
cursing  in  German  with  great  slashing  of  whips,  hol- 
loaing and  hullabalooing,  dash  out  of  the  quiet  ripples 
of  the  Potomac  and  rush  up  the  Maryland  shore. 

"  Dere's  a  bridge  right  along  de  canal  here!  Ve 
makes  for  it  kevick  1 "  cries  the  Teuton  voice. 


BILLY   HAMILTOM.  23 

"  Halt  there  !  Advance  and  give  the  countersign  !  " 
orders  the  sergeant  of  the  guard,  sternly. 

"  Mein  Himmel,  it's  dat  damned  Stuart's  cavalry- 
men. Boys,  ve  are  goners  !  "  shrieks  the  affrighted 
head  of  the  party  with  a  German  oath,  and  an  effort  is 
made  to  turn  the  rear  team  into  the  river. 

"  Stay  quiet,  Dutchie,  or  be  jabers,  we'll  fill  you  full 
of  lead,"  orders  Lommox. 

"Who  are  you?"  I  cry;  for  I  am  now  sure  these 
are  not  soldiers  ;  certainly  not  Jackson's  veterans. 

"  Gott  in  Himmel,  who  arejyou  />  That  is  vot  is  de 
matter  mit  me  ! "  answers  the  excited  German  voice 
from  the  darkness. 

"  We're  Troop  A  of  the  First  Kentucky  Union 
Cavalry,"  I  shout,  instinct  telling  me  the  Dutchman  is 
too  excited  to  explain  who  he  is. 

"Union  Cavalry  !     Boys,  ve  are  saved  ! " 

"Now,  who  arejyou  />" 

"  Lammersdorff !  So  help  me  Gott !  August  Lam- 
mersdorff!  Sutler  mid  Bank's  Corps,  and  pursued  by 
Lee's  whole  army.  Vip  up  de  mules,  Fritz  !  Get  right 
avay  out  of  here,  mein  frient  yourshelf,  odervise  you 
is  a  losht  man." 

"  Bejabers,  you're  a  lost  man,"  cries  Lommox,  "if 
you  don't  put  up  that  beer  you  promised  in  the  middle 
of  the  river  when  ye  reached  'My  Maryland.'" 

"  All  right,  de  beer  goes,  but  for  God's  sake  let  me 
go  away.  Here,  Fritz,  Conrad,  make  de  Union  boys 
comfortable  mit  demselves.  By  Shultz's  ghost,  I 
thought  I  vas  gone  up  de  spout." 

A  spigot  is  hastily  put  in  a  keg  of  beer  in  one  of  the 
sutler's  wagons.  I  permit  my  men  to  accept  the  Ger- 
. man's  hospitality,  while  I  inspect  his  sutler's  permit  by 
the  light  of  a  sulphur  match. 

"  Hab  a  cigar,  Cap?"  Lammersdorff  says  in  eager 
hospitality. 

"  Thank  you,"  I  respond,  and  lighting  up  one  of  the 
purveyor's  best perfecios,  I  question  the  Teuton  rapidly  : 

"How  did  you  get  into  Lee's  jaws?  Banks  is  in 
Washington." 

"Ven  Banks  falls  back  from  Bealton,  I  vas  left  be- 
hind. Den  I  has  to  light  out  for  meinself  und  vile  Lee 
vas  massacreeing  Pope,  by  jingo,  I  flanks  de  whole 
Rebel  army  and  comes  behind  dem.  But  ven  I  gits 


24  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

down  vere  I  thinks  I'se  safe,  mein  Himmel,  I  finds 
Lee  vaiting  for  me  to  gibe  me  hell." 

"You  say  you  were  pursued  by  Lee's  whole  army. 
What  makes  you  think  that?" 

"  De  Rebs  comes  on  us  so  shpunky  !  " 

"Any  other  reason? " 

"Yes,  I  heard  de  marching  of  men  like  von  ob 
Leettle  Mac's  big  army  corps  I  " 

"  An  army  corps  ?  " 

"  Und  de  rumbling  of  half  a  dozen  batteries  of  can- 
nons. You  don't  mishtake  dem  for  de  creekings  of 
sutlers'  vagons.  does  it  ?  " 

"  Half  a  dozen  batteries  of  artillery  !  " 

This  information  is  so  important,  and  Lammersdorff 
seems  so  impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  must  hurry 
on,  that  I  detain  him  only  long  enough  to  buy  a  box 
of  his  best  cigars,  with  which  I  fill  my  pockets,  cigar- 
case  and  saddle-pouch,  distributing  a  few  to  my  two 
lieutenants. 

"Don't  keep  me  here,  Captain.  For  God's  sake, 
let  me  go  on  or  I'm  a  losht  and  a  ruined  sutler.  I  has 
fifty  thousand  in  greenbacks  and  twenty-five  thousand 
in  a  commissary's  draft  on  my  body,"  he  whispers 
frightenedly,  then  breaks  out  despairingly:  "How 
long  do  you  think  dese  vagons  vould  last  mit  Stuart's 
hungry  devils.  Dey'd  eat  'em  up  and  drink  'em  up 
and  smoke  'em  up  before  I  got  drew  cussing  'em  !  " 

"Very  well,"  I  answer,  "  you  can  go  on  !  "  And  I 
give  orders  to  let  him  pass  the  little  bridge  over  the 
canal. 

"  For  God's  sake,  come  mit  me,  Captain  !  "  begs  the 
good-hearted  German,  who  I  can  see  by  the  light  from 
my  burning  cigar,  is  in  shirt  sleeves,  and  the  perspira- 
tion of  exertion  and  anxiety  rolling  down  his  round 
Teuton  face. 

"No!  I'm  guarding  this  ford.  Good-bye;  thanks 
for  your  cigars  ;  I  hope  we'll  meet  soon,"  I  add. 

"  Gott  in  Himmel,  I  hope  ve  von'//" 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  if  you  shtay  here  another  hour  I  vill  have 
to  go  *o  Richmond  or  hell  to  meet  you,"  is  crieo 
out  to  me,  as  the  wagons  disappear  into  the  darkness, 
driven  rapidly,  the  mules  trotting  as  they  rush  ovei  tha 
little  bridge. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  2$ 

The  noise  dies  away  up  the  Frederick  pike ;  as  not 
altogether  pleased  at  the  German's  suggestion,  I  turn 
to  my  duty. 

" Lorn mox,"  I  order,  "go  to  the  bridge  with  your 
horse  and  be  ready  to  ride  like  blazes  the  moment  I 
give  the  signal !  " 

Leaving  Harrod  in  charge  of  the  bridge,  I  crawl  to 
the  front.  At  the  bank  of  the  river,  quietly  giving  the 
countersign  to  the  sentries  who  challenge  me  in  low 
voice,  I  shortly  encounter  my  second  lieutenant.  "  Do 
you  hear  any  noises  ? "  I  whisper. 

"There  is  certainly  no  sound  now  of  movement 
across  the  ford,"  he  replies.  ' '  Perhaps  they're  waiting 
for  a  signal. " 

A  moment  after  I  start  with  surprise. 

A  sentry  challenges  sharply. 

Alow,  sweet,  delicate,  feminine  voice  comes  through 
the  still  night  air,  saying  easily:  "You  are  part  of 
Stonewall  Jackson's  command,  I  presume?" 

"  Great  goodness  !     A  woman  1  "  I  gasp. 

The  next  instant  I  have  captured  a  very  pretty  pris- 
oner. At  least,  I  judge  so  by  the  voice.  For  my  hand 
is  on  the  bridle  of  her  horse  and  the  soft  voice  is  saying 
to  me  :  "Are  you  some  of  Stuart's  troopers  ?  " 

"No!"  I  reply,  with  military  promptness.  "You 
are  speaking  to  Captain  Billy  Hamilton,  of  the  First 
Union  Kentucky  Cavalry." 

' '  Billy  Hamilton  !  "  The  tone  is  one  of  great  aston- 
ishment. "Captain  in  the  First  Union  Kentucky  Cav- 
alry ? "  The  voice,  for  a  second  I  think,  indicates 
disdain. 

' '  Yes  !  My  orders  are  to  stop  any  one  crossing  the 
river. " 

"What !  Hinder  me  from  visiting  my — my  aunt  in 
Leesburg  ? " 

"Certainly  ! — unless  you  have  a  pass  from  the  Gen- 
eral in  command  of  this  division,  or  the  War  Depart- 
ment at  Washington." 

"O-oh!"  This  is  a  sweet,  low  gasp  of  dismay. 
"  I  had  supposed  that  you  military  gentlemen  consid- 
ered women  non-combatants,"  adds  the  girl  in  piquant 
savageness ;  for  her  accents  tell  me  she  is  certainly 
very  young. 


26  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Please  give  me  youi  name,"  I  demand  with  mili« 
tary  directness. 

"  My — my  name  ?  " 

"Certainly  !" 

"  I — I  cannot  give  it  you  1  "  There  is  a  strange  em- 
barrassment in  the  voice. 

Into  this  I  break,  ordering  the  sentinel  sharply, 
"See  who  that  is  in  the  undergrowth.  If  he  doesn't 
come  out,  shoot  him  at  once  !  " 

"  Don't  shoot !  "  screams  a  scared  darky  voice,  in 
answer  to  the  click  of  carbine-locks.  "  'Fore  de  Lawd, 
I'se  only  de  missis'  servant." 

"Stop  your  men  !  "  cries  the  young  lady.  "  Don't 
shoot !  Quashie,  come  here !  Don't  try  to  fly  !  " 

A  moment  later  a  figure  on  horseback  draws  up  be- 
side her. 

"  Lawd-a-massy,  dis  niggah's  most  scared  to 
death  !  "  mutters  what  is  apparently  a  darky  servant.  I 
believe  him,  as  to  his  fear  ;  for  I  can  hear  in  the  gloom 
his  teeth  chattering  like  castanets. 

Then  the  girl  orders:  "Quashie,  you  see  these 
men  ? " 

"  'Deed  I  doesn't,  missie  ;  I  hears  dem." 

"Don't  try  to  run  away  from  them,  and  do  what 
they  tell  you,  or  you'll  be  shot  at  once." 

"Yes,  missie.     Am  dey  going  to  shoot  you  too?" 

"  I  hope  not !  You  wouldn't  kill  me,  Captain  Hamil- 
ton, would  you  ? "  The  tone  is  coquettish,  allur- 
ing. 

The  easy  use  of  my  name  astonishes  me  ;  but  with 
military  gallantry  I  answer :  "Not  by  the  Stars  and 
Stripes!"  To  this  I  add:  "How  did  you  get  here? 
You  could  not  have  crossed  the  bridge." 

"No-o,"  there  is  a  slight  hesitation  in  her  answer. 
"We — we  must  have  lost  our  way  and  come  up  the 
river. " 

"Then  how  did  you  get  over  the  canal  ?  "  My  tone 
is  suspicious. 

"  Over  the  canal  ?  Is  there  one  here  ?  O  heavens  ! 
Quashie,  we  might  have  fallen  in  and  been  drowned  !  " 

This  is  a  bare-faced  attempt  to  simulate  feminine 
naivete  and  female  terror.  I  am  about  to  speak  with 
great  severity  to  my  sweet  prisoner — for  I  have  made  up 
my  mind  that  she  is  very  sweet — when  suddenly  there 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  2f 

is  the  rattle  of  dropping  shots — not  from  the  river,  but 
from  the  rear  of  my  command — and  sounds  of  combat. 
Across  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Canal,  the  darkness  is 
lighted  up  by  the  flashes  of  carbines  and  revolvers. 

"Damnation  1  "  cries  Harrod.  "  We're  taken  in  flank 
— surrounded  !  " 

A  second's  reflection  tells  me  that  the  Confederates 
have  crossed  the  Potomac  at  White's  Ford,  further  down 
the  river,  and  we  have  not  been  notified  by  the  troops 
guarding  that  point. 

"  Mount  your  horse,  Lommox  !  "  I  cry,  struggling  to 
the  bridge.  "Ride  while  you've  time!  Carry  the 
news,  the  Rebs  are  in  Maryland  !  " 

"  Faith,  I'm  gone  !  "  answers  the  sergeant,  and  the 
sound  of  his  horse's  hoofs  rings  out  rapidly  on  the  little 
bridge  and  dies  away  smothered  by  distance  and  the 
noise  of  firearms.  A  moment  later  the  flashing  of  Con- 
federate carbines  tells  me  he  is  running  the  gauntlet. 

But  I  have  no  time  to  speculate  on  his  fate.  My  own 
— that  of  my  command — even  that  of  the  fair  creature 
who  is  beside  me — occupies  my  attention.  I  hurriedly 
seize  the  reins  of  the  young  lady's  horse,  for  from  the 
movement  of  her  steed  I  see  she  is  turning  it  and  would 
gallop  across  the  bridge  towards  the  Confederate  lines. 

"If  you  go  to  them  it  is  your  death  !"  I  whisper. 
"In  the  darkness  they'll  think  you  one  of  us.  For 
God's  sake  keep  on  the  other  side  of  me  ! " 

"  You  wish  to  be  very  sure  of  your  prisoner,"  she 
mutters. 

"  I  wish  to  do  what  I  can  to  «eep  you  alive." 

"Ah,  thank  you  !  You  think  your  body  may  inter- 
cept a  bullet  that  would  reach  me  ?  " 

"Yes  !  "  and  I  draw  her  back  from  the  circle  of  light 
made  by  the  burning  bridge  that  has  been  fired  by  my 
order  and  is  now  blazing  briskly. 

This  done,  I  must  save  my  command,  if  possible  ; 
the  weight  of  fire  in  our  front  indicates  that  at  least  a 
regiment  is  engaging  us.  However,  they  are  coming  on 
cautiously,  thinking  we  are  but  a  picket,  and  not  know- 
ing the  meagre  force  that  is  opposed  to  them. 

There  is  but  one  hope  ! — to  flank  them  !  My  troop 
numbers  scarce  fifty  sabres.  The  force  opposed  to 
them,  must  amount  to  several  hundred. 

Fortunately,  but  few  casualties  have  yet  occurred, 


*8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

the  darkness  preventing  any  accuracy  of  aim. 
"  Come  with  me  !  "  I  whisper  to  my  young  lady 
prisoner.  Passing  the  word  for  the  men  to  hold  their 
fire  and  to  follow  me  as  silently  as  possible,  I  turn  my 
horse's  head  towards  the  \vest.  The  darkness  is  our 
only  safety  ;  were  it  daylight,  the  paucity  of  our 
numbers  and  our  route  of  march  would  be  discovered. 
Then  we  would  be  overwhelmed  in  a  moment  ;  for 
though  the  canal  is  between  us  and  the  enemy — the 
distance  between  it  and  the  river  is  only  a  short  hundred 
yards  and  with  little  cover — their  carbine  fire  would 
destroy  us. 

I  soon  discover  that  my  flank  movement  is  not  a 
success,  for  a  portion  of  the  Confederate  force  is  appar- 
ently moving  parallel  to  me.  A  moment  after,  guess- 
ing at  our  location  from  our  noise,  they  scourge  us  by 
a  volley.  Three  or  four  of  my  troopers  fall  from  their 
saddles. 

Merciful  heavens  !  Even  this  portion  of  the  rebel 
force  is  a  full  regiment.  A  cavalry  brigade  must  be  in 
front  of  me.  Fortunately  they  have  not  been  able  to 
cross  the  blazing  canal  bridge. 

Suddenly  a  desperate  idea  strikes  me.  "  Give  them 
one  volley  to  check  them,"  I  order.  "  Now,  my  men, 
follow  me  !  " 

"  By  the  Lord  !  "  whispers  Harrod,  "  you're  not 
going  into  the  river  ? " 

"  Yes,  to  the  Virginia  side  ;  it  is  our  only  chance. 
We  may  escape  that  way.  Where  is  that  poor  girl  ?" 
I  ask  anxiously. 

"  Here,  at  your  side,  my  gallant  captain,  who  is 
trying  to  take  such  good  care  of  me,"  whispers  the 
sweet  voice. 

"  Very  well.  Please — please  keep  in  front  of  me. 
Sergeant,  get  a  few  files  between  this  young  lady  and 
the  enemy." 

"  You  do  nothing  but  think  of  my  safety  ?  Thank 
you  !  "  And  a  delicate,  soft,  exquisitely  shaped  hand — I 
can  tell  that  from  its  feel — seizes  mine,  and  pressing 
it,  sends  through  every  vein  a  thrill  that  the  danger  of 
death  cannot  destroy. 

A  moment  later  we  stagger  the  Confederate  advance 
by  our  rapid  carbine  fire,  and  I  lead  my  men  down  to 
the  river,  to  ford  it. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  29 

•'  We  must  hurry,"  whispers  Harrod.  "  The  moon 
is  rising.  It  will  show  our  small  force  to  them.  We 
will  be  shot  down  before  we  get  across." 

"It  is  our  only  hope,"  I  return.  "  What  chance 
would  we  have,  charging  a  brigade  ?  " 

We  are  scarcely  half-way  across  the  river,  when  two 
rockets  rising  from  the  Maryland  side  burst  into  red 
and  white  stars. 

I  shudder  as  they  are  answered  from  the  Virginia 
shore.  The  next  instant  my  lieutenant  grasps  my  arm 
and  mutters  :  "  Good  God  !  We're  in  front  of  a  whole 
Rebel  division  !  " 

For  in  the  first  faint  light  of  the  rising  moon,  dark 
columns  of  infantry  are  leaving  the  shadows  of  the 
Virginia  woods  and  entering  the  river.  We  can  even 
hear  the  rumble  of  artillery  and  caissons. 

With  a  muttered  oath,  my  color-sergeant  seizes  our 
guidon,  and  reversing  its  pole,  plunges  the  flag  that 
will  betray  us  under  the  water  of  the  river.  Obey- 
ing a  wave  of  my  hand,  my  troop  follows  me,  edging 
down  the  river  in  an  attempt  to  get  on  the  flank  of  the 
enemy  on  the  Virginia  shore. 

But  we  are  too  late.  The  advance  guard  and  skir- 
mishers of  the  Confederate  division  are  already  around 
us  in  the  river,  the  report  of  firearms  on  the  Maryland 
side  hurrying  them  to  the  support  of  their  cavalry. 

At  first  they  mistake  us  for  part  of  their  own  force  on 
the  other  side  of  the  stream.  This  gives  me  a  short-lived 
hope  ;  for  a  Rebel  infantry  captain  laughs  at  me  as  he 
urges  to  greater  speed  his  men,  who  are  fording  waist- 
deep  :  "  Are  they  making  it  so  hot  for  Stuart  over 
there  that  you're  retreating  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  reply.  "  Hurry  up  and  support  him  !  "  as 
I  still  keep  my  course  down  the  river.  In  the  thick 
undergrowth  of  the  Virginia  side,  we  may  yet  escape 
— some  of  us. 

But  even  as  I  do  this,  another  column  comes  into 
sight  below  us. 

"  That's  damned  strange  !  "  cries  the  Confederate 
captain  after  me.  "  You  boys  ain't  used  to  run  from 
Yankee  cavalry." 

The  next  second,  the  rising  moon,  breaking  wholly 
from  the  thunder-clouds,  brilliantly  illuminates  the 


JO  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  By  heaven,  there's  something  wrong  here  1  Their 
uniforms  are  blue  !  "  cries  the  Rebel  officer. 

"  Hanged  ilf  they  ain't  Yanks,  flying  from  Stuart !  " 
yells  one  of  his  men,  in  the  easy  discipline  of  that 
time. 

"  My  God  !  don't  fire  1  "  I  cry,  "  there's  a  lady 
riding  with  us." 

The  next  second  we  are  surrounded.  With  the 
muskets  of  a  Confederate  regiment  of  infantry  levelled 
at  us,  and  the  suspicious  clicking  of  gun-locks  in 
another  one  marching  on  our  flank,  as  the  order 
comes  :  "  Make  Ready  !  "  to  resist  would  be  useless. 
I  sullenly  surrender. 

A  moment  later  we  find  ourselves  deprived  of  our 
arms.  To  our  captor's  questions,  I  give  the  name  of 
my  command,  and  find  myself  a  prisoner. 

"  I  am  glad  you  did  surrender,"  whispers  the  sweet 
voice  at  my  side.  "  For  see  !  "  and  she  points  down 
the  river  ;  "  There  are  miles  of  them  !  To  resist  would 
simply  have  meant  the  slaughter  of  your  brave  fellows." 

I  glance,  following  her  hand.  A  Confederate  army 
corps  is  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac.  Turning,  I 
look  at  her  :  the  moonlight  shows  me  a  form  light 
and  graceful  as  a  sylph's,  clothed  in  some  dark  riding- 
habit  that  outlines  each  rounded  contour  of  beauty. 

A  second  glance — for  I  give  her  several — shows  me 
the  young  lady  sits  her  horse  perfectly  and  manages  it 
with  the  ease  and  certainty  of  an  accomplished  eques- 
trienne. Her  face  is  too  much  in  the  shadow  for  me 
to  note  all  its  loveliness — that  came  to  me  afterwards 
— though  I  can  guess  it  has  both  youth  and  beauty 
from  the  brightness  of  her  eyes  as  they  look  into  mine. 

"  Thank  you,"  I  remark.  "  You  were  very  kind  in 
not  betraying  us.  It  did  no  good,  but,  believe  me,  I 
appreciate  it." 

"  You  feared  I  would  do  that  j3  "  she  asks  reproach- 
fully, "  when  you  took  such  good  care  of — of " 

"  Of  my  fair  prisoner,"  I  murmur  suggestively. 

"  Your  prisoner  no  longer  !  '  'she  laughs.  "  You've 
only  had  a  short  ten  minutes'  power  over  me.  And 
now  you're  their  prisoner.  I  hope  they'll  treat  you  as 
kindly  as  you  did  me." 

' '  Not  much  chance  of  that, "  I  mutter,  my  voice  grow- 
ing husky,  as  I  think  ot  a  long  imprisonment  before 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  3! 

exchange.  "I  suppose  they'll  send  me  to  Libby  Pris- 
on." Then  I  ask,  perchance  even  anxiously:  "And 
you  ?  " 

"Oh,  they'll  regard  me  as  a  non-combatant;  these 
Southerners  are  very  gallant.  I  presume  now  I  shall 
be  permitted  to  visit  my  mother  in  Leesburg."  Her 
tone  is  confident. 

' '  Your  mother  />    You  said  your  aunt. " 

"  I  meant  both." 

By  this  time  we  have  been  escorted  to  the  Virginia 
side  of  the  river,  and  are  now  brought  by  our  guard  to 
an  officer,  who,  after  a  few  words  with  his  subordinates, 
inspects  us  by  the  light  of  a  blazing  pine  torch. 

As  I  am  about  to  give  him  my  name,  the  gentleman 
breaks  out  cordially  and  eagerly  :  "  Permit  me,  Captain 
Hamilton,  to  introduce  myself  as  Major  Thornton  of 
the  First  Virginia  Cavalry,  acting  provost-marshal  of 
E  well's  Division,  Jackson's  Corps,  of  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia." 

"  George  !  "  I  cry  out,  as  I  recognize  my  old  West 
Point  friend,  who  had  been  a  First-classman  when  I 
entered:  the  George  Arden  Thornton,  who,  lured  by 
his  sweetheart's  eyes,  had  left  the  ranks  of  the  Blue, 
and  who  now  is  one  of  Stuart's  dashing  cavalrymen. 

To  this  he  replies:  "  Billy,  I'm  mighty  glad  to  see 
you,  but  sorry  to  see  you  wearing  that  uniform." 

Before  I  can  reply  to  this,  he  whispers  significantly : 
"By  Jove,  you're  in  luck  !  I  see  you  have  a  petticoat 
with  you." 

"A  lady  I  captured,  attempting  to  cross  the  Poto- 
mac," I  answer  quite  loudly,  anxious  to  prevent  any 
embarrassment  to  the  fair  creature  whose  attitude,  as 
well  as  I  can  see  by  the  torchlight,  indicates  impa- 
tience. 

"And  one  who  would  like  to  have  your  private  ear 
for  a  moment,  Provost-marshal,"  returns  the  beauty 
somewhat  sternly. 

At  this  Thornton,  who  is  punctilio  itself  to  the  fair 
sex,  doffs  his  slouched  hat  gallantly,  as  the  young  lady 
continues,  a  slight  embarrassment  in  her  voice  :  "I — 
I  was  so — so  fortunate  as  to  be  captured  by  Captain 
Hamilton.  Am  I  to  be  considered  a  non-combatant 
by  you,  or  am  I  to  have,  in  one  night,  the  distinction  of 
having  been  a  prisoner  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on 


32  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

one  side  of  the  river,  and  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia on  the  other  ? " 

"  Be  assured  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  will  do 
its  best  to  keep  all  such  prisoners  as_yow, "  returns  the 
Confedate  major  gallantly,  apparently  impressed  by  the 
sweet  tones  of  his  captive's  voice. 

"Then — before  you  put  me  under  guard,"  laughs 
the  young  lady,  "permit  me  to  whisper  a  word  in  your 
ear. " 

With  this  the  provost  marshal,  taking  the  young  lady's 
horse  by  the  bridle,  leads  her  a  short  distance  from  me, 
and  I  watch  her  discontentedly.  As  she  converses  ap- 
parently eagerly  and  impressively  with  him,  I  think, 
perhaps  bitterly  :  "She,  when  I  captured  her,  accorded 
me  no  such  explanation." 

A  moment  after  Thornton  turns  to  me  and  suggests  : 
"What  shall  we  do  with  you,  my  boy  in  blue?  Eh?  " 

"Send  me  to  Richmond,  I  suppose!"  I  mutter 
gloomily. 

"No,  I've  better  news  than  that !"  the  major  says 
cordially.  "  We  haven't  men  enough  to  spare  to  guard 
the  prisoners  we're  taking.  We  shall  carry  you  with 
us  into  Frederick  and  to-morrow  parole  you  until  you're 
exchanged  :  at  least,  I  believe  that  is  the  order  at  pres- 
ent. Give  me  your  word,  and  you  can  take  your 
horse  and  go  with  us  comfortably.  I  shall  be  crossing 
the  river  myself  as  soon  as  I  give  directions  about  your 
men,  whom  we  shall  parole  at  once  not  to  serve 
until  exchanged." 

His  cheery  words  make  my  heart  jump  ;  I  am  not 
to  suffer  confinement  in  Libby  Prison.  I  go  with  him 
to  sign  the  parole  of  my  troop. 

Returning  from  this,  my  charming  ex-captive  rides 
up  to  me  and  remarks,  apparent  petulance  in  her  tones  : 
"I  am  not  to  be  permitted  to  visit  my  friends  in  Lees- 
burg.  Like  you,  /  am  a  prisoner.  That  awful  pro- 
vost-marshal insists  on  taking  me  to  Frederick.  I  shall 
not  be  released  until  Stonewall  Jackson  gives  word  to 
that  effect.  They — they  think  me  a  Union  spy  !  " 

"I  don't  imagine  they'll  shoot  you  offhand,"  I  reply, 
delighted  that  this  fair,  yet  rather  mysterious  young 
creature  is  to  journey  with  me. 

The  piquancy  in  her  manner  indicates  she  will  make 
a  charming  companion  on  the  night  ride  into  Frederick. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  33 

"  Oh,  I  don't  suppose  they  will  need  to  hang-  me.  I 
shall  be  executed  by  refrigeration  in  this  night  air," 
laughs  the  girl.  "My  riding-habit  is  wet  to  the 
knees." 

"That  I  shall  try  to  obviate  !"  cries  Thornton,  step- 
ping up.  "Come  with  me  at  once;  across  the  river 
we  will  give  you  a  camp-fire  !  " 

A  few  moments,  and  we  find  ourselves  upon  the 
Maryland  side  of  the  river. 

"I  see  you've  delayed  us  for  an  hour,"  remarks 
the  major,  gazing  on  the  ruined  bridge. 

The  Confederates  are  blowing  out  a  sluice  gate  and 
closing  a  dam,  so  that  the  canal  will  soon  be  dry — and 
their  engineers  are  hastily  erecting  a  light  bridge  or 
two  to  replace  the  one  I've  destroyed. 

While  this  is  going  on  a  big  bivouac  fire  is  rapidly 
built  for  us  by  Thornton's  order,  and  my  fair  com- 
panion, wringing  out  the  skirt  of  her  riding-habit  in 
front  of  it,  makes  as  exquisite  a  series  of  silhouettes  as 
fitful  flashes  ever  showed  to  admiring  eyes.  Her  very 
occupation  compels  an  innocent  abandon  that  permits 
most  charming  hints  of  a  figure  as  graceful  as  a  naiad's, 
as  she  shakes  the  Potomac  water  from  her  clinging 
skirts. 

But  there  is  no  air  of  coquetry  about  her,  though  I 
catch  a  glance  or  two  that  she  steals  at  me,  when  she 
thinks  I  am  not  noticing  her.  In  them,  I  can  only  see 
disdain,  haughtiness,  perchance  contempt. 

A  moment  later  I  think  this  idea  is  caused  by  the 
conviction  that  every  Southern  woman  hates  a  Union 
soldier  ;  for  the  young  lady's  voice  has  become  win- 
ning, her  air  disingenuous,  as  she  queries:  "I  sup- 
pose after  your  parole  you  will  return  to  Washington?" 

Then  her  eyes  become  wistful  and  eager.  She  whis- 
pers :  "I  believe  a  Southern  Union  officer  like  you 
should  be  in  high  favor  with  the  War  Department." 

"  I  am  1 "  I  reply,  with  the  proud  assurance  of  youth, 
as  I  stir  up  the  blazing  brands,  to  get  a  better  look  at  her. 

"Ah  1  "  she  gazes  at  me  wistfully,  then  murmurs  a 
gracious  ;  "Thank  you  1  My  habit  is  perfectly  dry 
now." 

As  she  lifts  her  graceful  head,  by  the  flashes  of  the 
camp-fire,  which  is  now  burning  very  brightly,  I  obtain 
a  first  thorough  impression  of  her  face ;  I  behold  youth, 


34  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

beauty,  vivacity,  combined  with  a  subtle  yet  charm* 
ing  fascination. 

My  glance  is  so  searching  a  blush  flies  over  the  ex- 
quisite features.  She  murmurs,  a  bashful  embarrass- 
ment in  her  tones  :  "You  are  satisfied  with  the  inspec- 
tion of  your — your  former  prisoner,  Billy — I  mean  Cap- 
tain Hamilton  ? " 

This  most  easy  use  of  my  Christian  name  astounds 
me. 

"  You — you  have  known  me  before?  "  I  gasp  in  sur- 
prise. 

"No;. of  course  not!  Oh!  What  was  I  thinking 
of !  What  have  I  said  !  "  she  stammers,  growing  red 
as  a  peony  in  the  firelight.  Suddenly  she  cries  ex- 
citedly as  if  to  avoid  further  questions  :  "  Look  !  See  ! 
Isn't  it  a  glorious  sight !  Behold  the  Confederate  army 
crossing  into  'My  Maryland.'" 

And  the  girl's  eyes  become  inspired  ! 

From  the  elevation  of  our  knoll  by  the  river  bank,  I 
gaze,  and  a  sight  comes  to  me  that  takes  all  else  from 
my  mind. 

The  veterans  of  Jackson's  advanced  divisions  are 
fording  the  river,  that  flows  waist  high  here — one  con- 
tinued stream  of  marching  manhood  :  each  eye  bright- 
ening as  the  bands  play  "My  Maryland"  ;  each  regi- 
ment cheering  as  it  steps  on  the  soil  of  the  State  they 
think  to  win  and  add,  a  new  sister,  to  the  Confederacy. 
Regiment  after  regiment  of  Virginia  boys,  brigaded 
under  Taliaferro,  veterans  of  many  pitched  battles,  vic- 
torious on  many  stricken  fields  ;  their  uniforms  ragged, 
their  feet  sometimes  even  bare,  but  their  muskets  gleam- 
ing brightly  and  their  cartridge-boxes  filled,  tramp  past 
us. 

These  are  followed  by  Stafford's  Louisiana  lads, 
five  regiments,  that  give  the  wild  Rebel  yell  as  they 
touch  the  shores  of  Maryland. 

Somehow,  the  enthusiasm  gets  into  me.  Somehow,  I 
remember  I  am  a  Southerner !  Somehow,  I  want  to 
yell  too  ! 

But  I  am  recalled  to  my  duty  by  the  sweet  voice  of 
my  companion  saying  sarcastically  :  "  Don't  you  wish 
you  could  cheer  with  them  ? "  Then  as  if  willing  to 
undo  the  effect  of  her  words,  Miss  Variable  quickly 
adds:  "Pooh!  We're  two  poor  prisoners  together. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  3$ 

Both  Southerners,  and  both  on  the  wrong  side,  I  pre- 
sume." 

I  do  not  answer  this  :  the  sight  is  too  impressive. 
Silently  both  of  us  gaze,  the  placid  river  flowing  past 
us  swiftly  in  the  soft  moonlight  that  tinges  its  ripples. 

From  up-stream,  borne  to  us  by  the  breeze,  come 
the  sounds  of  the  Confederate  engineers  throwing,  by 
the  light  of  blazing  torches,  a  pontoon  bridge  across 
the  Potomac,  for  the  passage  of  the  artillery.  To  our 
right,  two  miles  away,  distant  explosions  tell  us  Stuart's 
cavalry  are  blowing  up  culverts  and  destroying  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  railroad,  cutting  off  the  doomed  gar- 
rison of  Harper's  Ferry  from  flight,  succor  or  assistance. 

And  still  we  gaze,  and  still  they  come  :  regiment 
after  regiment,  column  after  column — the  young  man- 
hood of  the  South  !  Archer's  Tennessee  Riflemen,  from 
the  ridges  of  the  Allegheny  ;  Thomas'  Georgia  Infantry 
and  Fender's  North  Carolinians,  their  bayonets  gleam- 
ing, their  bands  playing — not  in  the  glorious  panoply 
of  war,  but  in  the  stern,  dread  reality  of  slaughter  and 
of  death. 

Forgetful  of  dead  comrades  fallen  in  Chickahominy 
swamps,  careless  of  the  decimation  of  the  Second 
Manassas  and  Chantilly,  reckless  of  everything  except 
that  they  must  win  ;  triumphant  and  confident, — for 
they  are  marching  under  a  leader  who  has  never  lost 
a  battle, — Stonewall  Jackson's  "foot-cavalry  "  tramp 
joyously  across  the  fair  Potomac  water  from  bloody 
fields  they  have  gained  to  other  bloodier  ones  to  be 
fought.  Over  all  this,  as  each  regiment  reaches  the 
Maryland  shore,  floats  one  continuous  Rebel  yell. 

Their  losses,  as  they  march,  my  military  eye  tells 
me,  have  been  awful.  Brigades  are  commanded  by 
colonels ;  captains  lead  battalions ;  and  in  one  in- 
stance I  note  a  lieutenant  is  the  ranking  officer  of  a 
regiment, 

"Oh  Heaven!  How  these  darling,  ragged,  bare- 
footed, light-hearted  heroes  have  suffered  to  win  I  " 
sighs  my  beautiful  companion.  "Oh  mercy!"  she 
mutters.  "  Don't  look  at  our  glorious  boys  any  more  \ 
To-night  they're  full  of  life,  hope  and  courage  ;  to-mor- 
row how  many  of  them  will  die  here,  right  in  this  State." 
And  the  girl  bursts  out  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  wouW 
break. 


36  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

But  the  men  we  look  at,  think  not  of  death  but  of 
victory ;  and  the  wild  yell  of  triumphant  invasion 
drowns  the  sad  sobs  of  tender  womanhood, — who 
pities,  who  sorrows  for  these  light-hearted,  devil-may- 
care  Southern  boys  as  they  pass  on  with  merry  jest  and 
careless  laugh  to  the  shambles  of  South  Mountain  and 
Antietam. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WHO    THE    DEUCE   IS   SHE  ? 

A  FEW  moments  after,  as  if  to  brush  away  any 
Southern  sentiment  she  has  displayed,  Miss  Enigma 
whispers:  "Just  see  to  my  horse's  girths,  my  gallant 
cavalryman.  Then  you  can  put  me  in  the  saddle — for 
here's  Major  Thornton  come  to  tell  us,  I  imagine,  that 
we  must  both  make  a  long  jaunt  into  Frederick." 

"You  have  divined  correctly,"  returns  the  gallant 
Southerner,  and  he  gives  directions  to  the  troop  of 
cavalry  who  are  under  his  immediate  orders. 

A  moment  later,  the  prettiest  foot  in  the  world  is 
put  into  my  eager  hand,  and  I  swing  Miss  Beauty  into 
her  saddle.  I  call  her  Miss  Beauty  now  ;  I  have  no 
other  name  for  her.  Once  or  twice  I  have,  at  odd 
times,  by  deft  hints  expressed  my  desire  to  know  this 
young  lady's  baptismal  appellation  ;  but  at  these  mo- 
ments she  has  grown  unusually  stupid  and  doesn't  seem 
to  understand  what  I  am  suggesting. 

She  has  apparently  been  no  more  explicit  with  the 
Confederate  Major,  for  we  have  hardly  mounted  and 
taken  a  by*path  to  get  away  from  the  marching  infan- 
try who  will  delay  us,  when  Thornton  says  gallantly, 
but  decidedly  :  "Now  I  must  know  the  name  of  my 
prisoner." 

' '  Not  this  evening,"  answers  the  captive  mutinously  ; 
then  adds  playfully  :  "I  shall  not  reveal  my  identity 
to  any  one  save  General  Jackson  himself;  "  next  mur- 
murs bashfully  :  "  As  if  I  would  have  all  my  friends  in 
Virginia  and  Maryland  know  I've  been  conducted  with- 
out chaperone,  by  two  dashing  officers,  on  an  all-night- 
ride.  Besides  what  would  Mrs.  Thornton  say  ? " 
Then  she  laughs  into  the  handsome  Confederate's  face  • 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  37 

"Your  marriage,  more  than  your  desertion  to  the 
enemy,  brought  sad  hearts  to  many  Washington  beau- 
ties, I  believe." 

"Ah,  you're  acquainted  in  Washington?" 

"A  little." 

With  this  the  two  go  into  a  conversation,  which  I 
cannot  catch,  as  they  are  riding  side  by  side,  and  the 
narrow  country  lane  compels  me  to  keep  in  their  rear. 
So  I  go  to  meditating  as  to  whether  it  is  only  fear  of 
scandal,  or  some  ulterior  political  or  military  motive 
that  makes  this  young  lady  silent  as  to  her  journey, 
not  only  to  myself,  but  to  the  Confederate.  Surely  she 
could  confide  in  one  of  us,  I  think. 

Then  suddenly  a  spasm,  which  I  have  since  dis-- 
covered  was  jealousy,  flies  through  me.  Was  it  in 
hope  of  meeting  some  particular  officer  of  Lee's  army 
that  this  girl,  who  from  her  appearance  is  of  gentle 
birth  and  tender  breeding,  has  taken  this  wild  night- 
ride  through  the  lines  of  contending  armies  ? 

But  Miss  Enigma  who  rides  in  front  of  me  gives  me 
little  opportunity  for  further  grounds  of  speculation  at 
present.  Thornton's  questions  perhaps  becoming  too 
searching,  she  suddenly  grows  so  sleepy  that  she  can 
answer  neither  of  us,  though  I  note  she  guides  her 
horse  as  dexterously  as  before,  as  we  two  ride  on 
glumly  after  her. 

Soon  after  we  enter  the  main  road  in  advance  of  the 
infantry,  but  behind  the  cavalry  that  is  hastening  to- 
wards Frederick. 

A  moment  later,  the  young  lady  turns  in  her  saddle 
and  beckons  us  beside  her.  As  we  ride  up,  she  says  : 
"Would  you  like  a  sleepy  prisoner,  or  a  very  gossipy 
and  wide-awake  captive,  Major  Thornton  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  understand  you,"  mutters  the  Confederate. 

"Well,  I  mean  that  if  you  put  searching  military 
questions  to  me,  I  shall  be  so  sleepy  I  cannot  answer 
them.  If  you  permit  me  to  chat  about  the  affairs  of 
the  world,  I'll  make  myself  as  entertaining  as  I  can,  for 
the  courteous  manner  in  which  you've  treated  me  this 
evening." 

"  Anything  but  a  silent  prisoner  !  "  laughs  the  major. 

Whereupon  she  turns  to  us,  and  we  enter  into  a  con- 
versation about  general  news  ;  even  going  as  far  as 
Italy  and  Garibaldi's  attempt  to  capture  Rome,  an<j 


38  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

from  this  drift  to  Washington  society  and  Virginia 
matters  and  Maryland  affairs,  the  young  lady's  babble 
being  so  bright,  charming  and  pleasant,  that  the  ride 
seems  very  short  as  we  come  into  Frederick  about  day- 
break. 

A  huge  bonfire  of  burning  commissary  stores  de- 
stroyed by  the  Federal  provost-marshal,  who  has  re- 
treated with  the  one  company  under  his  command, 
leaving  only  the  sick  in  hospital  behind  him,  shows 
me  that  Lommox  has  reached  here  safely  and  given  his 
warning. 

So  chatting,  we  ride  on  into  the  little  capital  of 
Maryland.  Every  moment  this  young  lady's  conver- 
sation gives  me  more  potent  hopes  of  learning  her 
name.  Unguardedly,  this  beauty  incognita  has  ad- 
mitted she  knows  several  of  my  Baltimore  friends  and 
one  or  two  of  my  Washington  acquaintances. 

"It'll  be  the  devil's  own  luck  if  I  don't  find  you  out, 
my  elusive  charmer,  after  the  hints  you  have  given 
me,"  I  think  cheerily  as  I  assist  the  young  lady  from 
her  horse  at  the  entrance  of  the  principal  tavern  in 
Frederick  Town. 

This  is  now  lighted  up  with  its  doors  open,  and  the 
proprietor  is  answering  Thornton's  hurried  military 
questions  as  to  the  number  of  the  United  States  troops 
that  have  been  in  the  town,  and  the  direction  they 
have  taken,  his  darky  servants  going  about  rather 
nervously  in  the  presence  of  the  invading  Confeder- 
ates. 

Roused  by  the  noise  of  Rebel  hoofs,  a  number  of  the 
townspeople  in  hastily-made  toilets  are  thronging 
about  the  advanced  squadrons  of  Stuart's  Cavalry, 
gaping  at  their  invaders,  who  call  themselves  their 
friends  and  say  they  come  to  free  them. 

"Gol  darned  if  I  thought  you  Rebs — I — I  means 
Con  feds — were  in  fifty  miles  of  us,"  I  hear  a  former, 
who  has  come  in  with  early  morning  vegetables  and 
poultry,  say  to  one  of  Stuart's  troopers,  as  the  cav- 
alry take  all  his  supplies,  and  pay,  to  his  astonish- 
ment and  delight,  ifi  Yankee  greenbacks,  and  gold, 
probably  gleaned  from  the  Federal  dead  at  Second 
Manassas. 

His  business  with  the  boniface  finished,  Thornton 
turns  to  us  and  speaks  with  military  promptness* 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  39 

"Remember  you  are  both  on  parole  not  to  leave 
this  hotel  without  my  permit.  Have  I  your  word  of 
honor  that  you  will  remain  here  ?  " 

"You  have,"  I  reply,  "  and  my  thanks  also  for  your 
courtesy. " 

"  Have  I  yours  also,  Miss — —  ?"  says  the  Confeder- 
ate, addressing  the  young  lady,  who  has  not  replied  to 
him. 

"  And  if  not  ?  "  answers  the  fair  captive  airily. 

"Then  I  shall  be  compelled  to  place  a  sentry  at  the 
door  of  your  chamber,"  remarks  the  provost-marshal 
sternly.  "A  discourtesy  I  am  loath  to  be  guilty  of, 
to  a  young  lady  whom  I  wish  to  treat  with  every  pos- 
sible consideration." 

"Under  these  circumstances  you  have  my  word, 
Major  Thornton,"  replies  the  girl.  Then,  a  strange 
eagerness  coming  to  her  voice,  she  says  impulsively  : 
"Onlyp/ease — please  let  me  see  General  Jackson  as 
soon  as  he  arrives,  you — you  don't  know  how  impor- 
tant it  is  !  " 

"I  will  try  and  accommodate  you,  but  I  am  a  very 
busy  man,"  answers  the  Confederate  officer.  Then  he 
rides  hurriedly  away,  leaving  us  two  captives  looking 
in  each  other's  face,  as  I  give  the  darky  groom  a  dollar, 
and  tell  him  to  see  our  horses  are  well  fed  and  bedded. 

"You  wish  to  see  General  Jackson  immediately?" 
I  query  meditatively. 

"Yes,  of  course,"  answers  my  ex-captive.  "My 
night's  experience  makes  me  anxious  to  escape  from 
between  contending  armies." 

"Ah,  yes,"  I  reply.  "Only  I  thought  your  manner 
indicated  that  it  is  more  important  for  Jackson  to  see 
you  than  you  to  see  him. " 

"Goodness,  what  a  suspicious  creature  you  are !  " 
half  laughs  Miss  Incognita.  "Don't  you  see  I  am  as 
much  a  captive  as  you  are?  But,  good-morning,  I  am 

very  tired  and "     Her  languid  manner  indicates  that 

she  wishes  to  end  the  interview. 

"You  would  like  a  little  beauty  sleep,  eh?"  I  sug- 
gest, as  I  assist  my  fair  companion  into  the  hotel  and 
do  what  I  can  for  her  comfort. 

"  Of  course  !  "  returns  the  young  lady  laughing.  To 
this  she  adds  :  "  A  little  would  do  you  no  harm  also," 
and  trips  away  attended  by  the  hotel-keeper,  leaving 


4O  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

me  chewing  my  moustache  and  gazing  wonderingly 
after  her. 

Has  this  interesting  creature  been  caught  accident- 
ally between  contending  armies,  or  is  she  one  of  the 
"dyed-in-the-wool"  Secession  gii  Is  who'd  risk  every- 
thing for  their  cause,  even  life  itself,  and  be  a  bearer 
of  information  to  the  Confederate  chieftain,  or  is  she, 
worse  still,  the  affianced  or  the  wife  of  some  Rebel 
officer  desperately  seeking,  at  the  risk  of  her  own  per- 
sonal safety,  the  lips  she  loves,  the  arms  she  longs  for? 

"  Damn  it,  this  last  is  the  worst  of  all,"  I  think,  as 
my  heart  sinks.  "Better  the  lover  of  the  Confederate 
cause  than  the  sweetheart  of  a  Rebel  officer.  Curse  it 
• — how  jealous  I  am  becoming." 

A  moment  later  I  conclude  that  Miss  Incognita's 
suggestion  as  to  sleep  is  a  wise  one,  I  have  been  in 
the  saddle  almost  continuously  for  forty-eight  hours. 

Five  minutes  after  I  am  shown  into  a  little  bed- 
chamber whose  dormer  windows  open  on  the  main 
thoroughfare  of  Frederick.  As  I  look  out,  a  battery  of 
Confederate  artillery  is  thundering  up  Market  Street> 
the  stars  and  stripes  have  been  hauled  down  from  the 
flagpole  in  front  of  the  town  hall,  the  Rebel  banner 
is  flying  in  its  place ;  the  rising  sun  gleams  on  the 
flashing  bayonets  of  an  infantry  division  marching 
from  the  south — Stonewall  Jackson  has  entered  Fred- 
erick. 


Notwithstanding  the  noise  of  ammunition  trains  and 
the  rumbling  of  artillery,  my  forty-eight  hours  in  the 
saddle  makes  me  sleep  well  and  soundly.  Once  or 
twice,  however,  I  dream  of  a  fairy  figure  ir»  a  dark 
gray  riding-habit. 

Some  unusual  and  more  potent  noise  in  the  street 
awakens  me.  I  spring  from  my  bed  and  grasp  for  my 
absent  sabre,  thinking  for  a  moment  that  it  is  the  call 
to  arms.  I  glance  from  the  window,  and  look  out  on 
a  soft  Maryland  September  day.  The  rattle  comes 
from  the  drums  of  a  Confederate  brigade  marching  up 
the  street.  I  see  the  gray  uniforms ;  recollections  of 
the  preceding  night  throng  upon  me.  My  lack  of 
weapons  brings  my  situation  home  to  me — I  remember 
I  am  a  prisons*- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  41 

But  appetite  in  a  healthy  young  man  is  always  a 
dominant  passion.  Thoughts  of  breakfast  prevent  my 
growing  morbid  over  my  captivity.  The  officer  with 
meagre  rations  the  night  before,  rejoices  in  the  chance 
of  a  hotel  breakfast. 

I  glance  at  my  watch ;  it  is  twelve  o'clock  in  the 
day. 

Making  a  hasty  soldier's  toilet,  I  step  below  into  the 
main  room  of  the  hotel.  This  is  now  full  of  a  con- 
glomeration of  Maryland  citizens  and  Confederate  offi- 
cers. The  faces  of  the  invaders  are  full  of  exultant 
hope,  the  countenances  of  the  invaded  bear  the  impress 
of  the  mighty  passions  of  that  mighty  time.  All  of 
them  betray  concern  ;  some  of  them  indicate  joy ; 
others,  though  they  try  to  conceal  it,  bitter  animosity 
and  undying  hate. 

A  few,  however,  display  such  tremendous  out-spoken 
enthusiasm  and  friendship  for  the  Rebel  soldiers  that  I 
know  it  means  recruits  for  Lee's  invading  army.  Some 
of  these  gibe  their  neighbors  of  Union  sentiment  with 
vindictive  speeches. 

As  I  elbow  my  way  through  the  throng,  I  hear  one 
of  them  scoffing:  "Hi,  Jake,  Pap  Lee  and  his  boys'll 
make  you  walk  Spanish  for  telling  on  Bill  Garvey  when 
he  took  that  band  of  volunteers  over  the  river  two 
months  ago." 

"Garvey's  in  the  old  Capitol  prison,"  guffaws  an- 
other. "  You'll  know  about  what  his  leelings  are  when 
you're  in  Libby  yourself.  Didn't  reckon  we  knew  you'd 
betrayed  us  ?  Trying  the  sneak  act,  eh  ? " 

For  this  remark  has  produced  a  deathly  pallor  in  the 
face  of  the  man  addressed,  and  he  is  leaving  the  hotel, 
the  fear  of  immediate  retaliation  showing  in  his  shiv- 
ering limbs. 

But  despite  the  cruel  passions  of  civil  war,  the  nervous 
tension  seems  to  have  made  down-hearted  Union  men 
and  enthusiastic  and  triumphant  Confederate  sym- 
pathizers equally  thirsty.  The  bar-room  of  the  hotel 
is  doing  a  great  business,  the  chink  of  glasses  sounding 
merrily,  some  of  Stuart's  oiiicers  remarking  that 
the  whiskey  is  as  good  north  ofthe  Potomac  as  it  is 
south.  Altogether,  the  scene  is  one  of  great  excite- 
ment, brilliancy  and  elan;  there  is  cheering  on  the 
street,  and  the  bands  of  the  Southern  Infantry,  as  they 


42  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

pass  the  house,  are  triumphantly  playing,  "  My  Mary-* 
land,"  "Bonnie  Blue  Flag"  and  "  Dixie." 

In  this  gathering  my  blue  uniform  naturally  attracts 
both  attention  and  comment.  A  gray-coated  captain, 
after  consultation  with  one  or  two  of  his  brother  officers, 
steps  to  me  and  asks  firmly,  but  politely,  the  reason  of 
my  presence.  To  him  I  return  shortly  that  I  am  a 
prisoner  under  parole. 

As  I  do  so,  we  recognize  each  other  as  classmates  at 
West  Point.  The  Rebel's  manner  changes,  so  does 
mine.  We  forget  we  wear  different  uniforms  and  fight 
under  opposing  flags.  The  old  days  on  the  green 
parade-ground  on  the  Hudson  come  back  ;  the  old  class 
feeling  so  often  displayed  during  all  that  bloody  time 
returns  to  us.  Personal  friendship,  that  even  the  awful 
animosity  of  that  war  did  not  destroy,  when  dying 
Armstead  begged  to  be  carried  to  his  old  chum  Han- 
cock's tent,  when  Sherman  and  Johnson,  though  com- 
manding opposing  armies,  were  to  each  other  as  ' '  Bill  " 
and  "Joe,"  comes  to  us  and  makes  us  clasp  hands 
over  the  bloody  chasm. 

Jeff  Crockett,  of  the  Twenty-second  Confederate  Ten- 
nessee Infantry,  says  to  Billy  Hamilton,  of  the  First 
Union  Kentucky  Cavalry  :  "  I  am  almighty  glad  to  see 
you,  though  deuced  sorry  to  see  you  dressed  in  blue.  But 
I'll  give  you  a  hint ;  if  you  are  a  prisoner  and  hungry, 
you  had  better  feed  at  once — you  may  not  have  long 
to  stay  here,  and  your  Yankee  commissary  is  a  good 
way  off.  Besides,"  whispers  the  young  officer  as  I 
voice  my  thanks  for  the  information,  "there's  a  deuced 
pretty  girl  in  the  dining-room.  Her  beauty  kept  me 
from  eating  a  few  moments  ago,  and  I  had  the  appetite 
of  a  government  mule." 

"  In  a  gray  riding-habit?  "  I  ask  excitedly. 

"Yes,  but  I  did  not  look  at  her  dress.  It  was  her 
face,  her  face,  Ramrod." 

Jeff  is  calling  me  by  my  old  class  name  ;  but  I  hardly 
listen  to  him  ;  for  I  am  turning  eagerly  to  the  dining- 
room  with  the  sudden  hope  in  my  heart  that  I  may 
catch  my  ex-captive  at  breakfast. 

Entering,  I  find  that  fortune  has  been  kind  to  me, 
though  for  a  moment  I  hardly  recognize  her. 

Before,  her  beauty  had  been  partly  concealed  by  the 
shadows  of  the  night.  At  best,  it  had  been  but  the  sug- 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  43 

gestions  of  the  fitful  brands  of  a  camp-fire,  of  flickering 
coal-oil  lamps,  and  dim  kerosene  effects  of  the  country 
hotel.  This  morning,  under  the  soft  summer  sun  that 
floats  through  the  windows  and  halos  her  exquisite  per- 
sonality, her  loveliness  is  a  revelation. 

Eyes  of  deepest  blue,  sparkling  when  betraying  viva- 
city, but  dark  when  indicating  passion  ;  forehead,  low, 
as  in  all  beautiful  women,  but  still  high  enough  to 
predicate  brilliant  man -catching  mentality  and  that 
sprightly  feminine  intuition — instinct — divination — call 
it  what  you  will — that  seems  so  weak  logically — that 
is  so  strong  actually  ;  complexion  of  mixed  lilies  and 
roses  ;  mouth,  kissable  yet  refined — even  haughty  ; 
chin  that  would  be  firm  were  it  not  so  womanly  ;  a 
nose,  patrician,  with  just  enough  retrousse'  in  it  to  give 
it  piquant  witchery  and  alluring  roguery ;  chestnut 
hair,  wavy  and  curling  about  an  exquisitely-formed 
head,  and  all  this  supported  by  the  figure  of  a  nine- 
teen-year-old Venus,  which  is  a  good  deal  more  grace- 
ful than  the  seven-and-twenty  article. 

This  is  what  strikes  my  eyes  as  I  place  them  on  my 
captive  of  the  preceding  night.  Altogether  she  is  a 
most  charming  picture  :  the  riding-habit  of  the  night 
before  seems  somehow  to  have  been  made  by  some 
subtle  art  as  fresh  as  if  it  had  suffered  no  contact  with 
Potomac  water  or  dust  of  Maryland  roads.  A  half- 
blown  rosebud  or  two,  tucked  into  its  bosom,  adds 
to  the  graceful  effect  as  their  perfume  floats  about 
her. 

Sleep  seems  to  have  made  the  young  lady  more  do- 
cile. She  looks  up  at  me  archly,  then  a  great,  red, 
burning  blush  flies  over  her  face,  the  reason  of  which 
I  cannot  guess,  though  it  gives  me  a  rapture  which  is 
increased  by  a  soft,  liquid  Southern  accent  and  piquant 
daintiness  of  demeanor. 

"  Good-morning,  Captain  Hamilton,"  she  says  cor- 
dially, though  she  has  become  strangely  bashful. 
"Captivity  has  not  destroyed  your  appetite,  I  hope." 

"  Nor  yours  either,  I  can  see,"  I  answer,  as  I  inspect 
the  depleted  breaklast-table  in  front  of  her  and  take  my 
seat  immediately  opposite. 

The  dining-room  is  nearly  deserted.  I  felicitate  my- 
self upon  chance  of  ttte-a-ttte. 

"No  trace  of  cold  from  your  ducking  last  night?"  I 


44  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

question  a  latent  anxiety  in  my  voice  that  apparently 
impresses  the  young  lady. 

"You're  concerned  for  my  health  ?"  she  says  airily  ; 
then  suddenly  laughs  :  "  Oh,  of  course_yo«  should  be  !  " 
and  another  wave  of  blushes  flies  again  over  her  ex- 
pressive face.  A  moment  later  she  asks,  a  peculiar, 
embarrassed  persiflage  in  her  tone  :  "Why  ?  " 

"You  were  my  captive  when  we  forded  the  Poto- 
mac," I  answer.  "  I  always  like  to  take  good  care  of 
my  /ac?y-prisoners. " 

"  Have  you  had  many?"  A  sneaking,  though  wist- 
ful, eagerness  in  the  inquiry  delights  me. 

"You  are  my  first ',"  I  return;  "  but  the  experience 
is  so  pleasant  I  am  longing  for  many  more." 

"Humph!  The  remark  is  not  so  flattering  as  you 
intended  it  to  be,"  laughs  the  young  lady.  Apparently 
she  is  growing  more  at  her  ease. 

There  is  something  familiar  about  the  girl  by  day- 
light. Hang  it  !  where  have  I  seen  Miss  Alluring  be- 
fore? I  rack  my  brain  as  I  order  from  the  attendant 
darky  waiter  a  supply  of  provender  which  apparently 
astounds  my  w's-d-vt's. 

"  Mercy  !  Your  government  rations  must  be  very 
meagre,  my  cavalier,"  she  says  vivaciously. 

' '  They  are  !  This  is  my  first  civilized  breakfast  since 
I  left  Washington,  six  days  ago." 

"  And  you  hope  to  be  returning  there  shortly  ?  " 

"Yes;  unless  I'm  sent  to  Libby  Prison,"  I  mutter 
glumly;  then  I  ask  eagerly:  "  And  your  fate  ?  Have 
you  seen  General  Jackson  ?  " 

"  Pooh  !  That  was  settled  early  this  morning.  I'm 
afraid  that  great  commander  thinks  I'm  a  very  saucy 
girl,"  remarks  the  young  lady  piquantly. 

"  I  hope  not !  "  I  answer  gravely.  "Stonewall  Jack- 
son is  respected  by  every  one,  North  or  South." 

"And  why  not?"  cries  the  girl  defiantly.  "Why 
shouldn't  I  give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind,  if  he  treats 
me  like  a  prisoner  and  threatens  to  send  me  to  Rich- 
mond under  guard  ?  Anyway,  I  don't  care.  I  suppose 
I  '11  see  my  mother  and  my  aunt  in  Leesburg  some  day 
—before  I  die." 

"Why,  I  thought  you  were  a  Southerner!"!  say 
impulsively. 

"  And  are  you  not  a  Southerner ?  "  she  asks,  "and 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  45 

yet  for  the  Union  ?  Are  there  not  cold-blooded  South- 
erners like  you  and  me,  who  remain  on  the  side  that  is 
most  convenient  for  them  ?  But  come  !  Let  us  run 
over  to  the  stable  and  look  at  our  horses  ?  Here's  some 
sugar  for  my  Bonny  Belle."  The  girl  has  taken  three 
or  four  lumps  from  the  bowl. 

She  rises  and  trips  to  a  French  window  that  opens 
on  the  veranda  at  the  rear  of  the  house  ;  from  which 
steps  leads  to  a  garden,  through  which  runs  a  path 
apparently  to  the  stables  of  the  hostelry. 

Standing  with  the  sun  shining  on  her  delicate,  pi- 
quant, patrician  face,  the  green  ivy  leaves  blowing 
about  her  graceful  figure — what  man  wouldn't  follow 
her. 

Delighted  to  know  that  this  beautiful  creature  is  cer- 
tainly on  my  side  of  the  political  fence,  I  spring  up 
from  the  relics  of  Maryland  biscuits,  porterhouse  steak, 
and  corn-cakes  and  coffee ;  though  I  blush  as  I  re- 
member that  I,  a  cavalryman,  have,  attracted  by 
woman,  forgotten  my  steed's  breakfast. 

Stealing  a  few  lumps  of  saccharine  to  make  my 
apology  to  my  charger,  I  follow  my  beautiful  guide 
across  the  little  garden. 

"  Neglected  his  horse's  breakfast !  That's  nice  for  a 
dashing,  yet  sleepy  dragoon,"  jeers  the  girl. 

"I  have  been  in  the  saddle  for  forty-eight  hours,"  I 
mutter  shamefacedly. 

"  Well,  /didn't  forget  your  horse,  if  you  did,"  laughs 
the  young  lady.  "When  I  came  out  this  morning  to 
see  after  Bonny  Belle  I  took  care  that  your  charger — 
Roderick,  you  call  him,  I  believe — had  everything  nec- 
essary for  his  comfort." 

We  are  standing  beside  the  horses  now,  her  pretty 
little  half  Arab  being  stalled  next  to  my  heavier  Ken- 
tucky-bred roadster,  which  has  carried  me  through  my 
first  campaign  and  become  a  charger  in  several  skir- 
mishes in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  the  pitched 
battle  of  Shiloh.  My  companion  has  petted  and  given 
the  sweet  dainties  to  her  mare,  Bonny  Belle,  while  I 
have  made  my  amends  to  Roderick,  who  crunches  the 
lumps  of  sugar  between  his  strong  teeth,  and  looks  at 
me  affectionately  from  his  great  big,  honest  eyes,  as  I 
fondle  his  soft  nozzle. 

A  moment  later  Miss  Vivacity  has  tripped  beside  me 


4.6  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

and  is  petting  my  horse  also.  "What  a  noble  fel- 
low !  "  she  says,  and  inspecting  Roderick's  good  points 
with  the  eye  of  a  horsewoman,  whispers:  "Fit  to 
ride  for  a  man's  life  !  " 

Ye  gods  !  How  a  magnificent  horse  sets  off  a  beau- 
tiful woman  !  I  can  see  her  now,  as  she  stands  with 
one  hand  over  the  shoulder  of  the  great  chestnut,  the 
closely  fitting  riding-habit  outlining  each  exquisite 
contour  of  her  beautiful  form  ;  its  skirt,  held  up  by  a 
dainty  hand,  displaying  an  equally  dainty  foot,  in 
tightly  fitting,  burnished  riding-boot :  the  other  little 
white  hand  is  playing  with  the  flowing  mane  of  my 
\>ig  chestnut. 

A  moment  later  tears  come  into  the  girl's  eyes.  She 
mutters:  "Oh,  if  these  Confederates  steal  our  horses 
from  us  1  It — it'll  break  my  heart  to  lose  Bonny 
Belle  ! " 

A  glum  feeling  comes  into  mine  also,  as  I  see  in 
imagination  some  hard-riding  trooper  of  Stuart's  be- 
striding my  favorite  war-horse. 

Perchance  sympathy  makes  us  both  tender  to  this 
noble  animal :  we  vie  with  each  other  in  petting  him 
and  caressing  him.  Suddenly  an  electric  spark  flies 
through  me.  In  fondling  my  charger's  nozzle  I  have 
unwittingly  touched  the  beautiful  hand  of  my  com- 
panion, which  is  stroking  it  also. 

A  blush  is  on  her  face  as  she  moves  a  little  away 
from  me. 

I  step  after  her  and  say  :  "  I  hope  last  night's  ad- 
ventures have  made  us  friends  ;  that,  though  you  will 
not  give  me  your  name,  I  may  see  you  again. "  There 
is  a  suppressed  passion  in  my  voice,  that — fight  it 
down  as  I  may- -I  can't  keep  out  of  it. 

The  girl's  answer  astounds  me.  "Oh,  you  will 
doubtless  see  me  quite  often — too  often  perhaps  ; "  she 
jeers — looks  at  me  demurely  for  a  moment — then 
suddenly  bursts  into  a  paroxysm  of  roguish  laughter. 

A  little  mockery  in  her  cadences  makes  me  more 
ardent,  I  mutter:  "I  shall  live  in  that  hope!"  and 
my  voice  conveys  even  more  than  my  words. 

Apparently  the  beautiful  creature  at  my  side  thinks 
so.  She  turns  to  me,  and  with  flashing  eyes  murmurs  : 
"  You  say  pretty  things  to  many  women,  I  suppose, 
my  gallant  Captain."  Then  her  voice  grows  deep  per- 


BILLY  HAMILTON.  47 

chance  passionate,  as  she  demands:  "Have  you  the 
right  to  ? " 

"Certainly  !  "  I  answer,  ardently,  yet  carelessly. 

"  Think!"  my  charmer  looks  me  straight  in  the 
eyes.  "Are  you  not  engaged?  Are  you  not  the 
affianced  of  Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ashley,  of  Virginia  ?  " 

"Oh,  that  little  witch  ?  "  I  laugh.  "  Egad  I  I  have 
not  seen  her  since  she  was  ten." 

"Are  you  not  betrothed  to  her  now  ?" 

"Y-e-s,"  I  mutter,  chewing  my  moustache.  "I 
suppose  it's  a  family  arrangement.  But  then  I  have 
not  seen  her  for  a  great  many  years." 

"And  I  have  no  doubt  the  girl  was  ugly, "  sneers 
my  fair  companion. 

"No,  on  the  contrary,  she  was  as  pretty  a  little 
termagant  as  I  ever  put  eyes  on." 

"Ah — ah!"  There  seems  to  be  a  triumph  in  my 
inquisitor's  voice — why,  I  cannot  for  the  life  of  me  un- 
derstand. "You  think  she  may  have  grown  more 
beautiful?"  she  queries  eagerly. 

"Yes;  but  I  hardly  believe  she  would  come  up  to 
a  young  lady  that  I  have  met  more  recently."  My 
accent  on  the  last  word  is  significant. 

"Oho!"  The  girl  is  giggling  in  my  face!  Then 
she  continues  slowly  and  meditatively,  "I  suppose, 
like  most  young  officers,  you're  permeated  with  that 
naughty  soldier  sentiment  so  ably  voiced  by  fickle 
Tom  Moore  ?  "  And  she  quotes  these  damnable  lines  : 

"  'Tis  sweet  to  think  that  where'er  we  rove 

We  are  sure  to  find  something  blissful  and  dear, 
And  that  when  we're  far  from  the  lips  we  love 
We've  but  to  make  love  to  the  lips  we  are  near." 

"On  the  contrary,"  I  say,  made  desperate  by  the 
alluring  beauty,  who  seems  to  scoff  the  pangs  she 
raises  in  my  heart,  "in  this  case  the  lips  that  are 
near  are  also  the  lips  that  are  dear." 

"I — I  will  tell  those  words,"  remarks  the  young 
lady,  biting  her  lip,  "  to — to  your  fiance'e — "  at  the  word 
the  fair  face  suddenly  grows  as  red  as  the  roses  in  her 
habit.  "You  shall  see  what  Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ashley 
of  Virginia,  thinks  of  them."  With  this  she  suddenly 
bursts  out  into  such  an  uncontrollable  fit  of  laughter 
that  it  seems  almost  hysterical. 


48  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"You're  a  deuced  curious  girl,"  I  meditate  glumly, 
as  I  look  at  her ;  though  there  is  a  latent  haughtiness 
in  her  manner  that  I  cannot  understand. 

Just  here,  perhaps  fortunately  for  me,  this  extraordi- 
nary interview  is  interrupted.  Major  Thornton  enters 
the  stable  hurriedly  and  remarks:  "I've  been  look- 
ing for  you  all  over  the  hotel.  Come  with  me,  Hamil- 
ton, at  once  to  General  Jackson's  headquarters."  Then 
he  bows  to  the  young  lady — rather  coldly,  I  think. 

"Has  my  fate  been  decided  upon?"  she  asks 
quickly. 

From  her  position  I  cannot  see  the  face,  though  I 
note  on  Thornton's  a  kind  of  wary  smile  as  he  returns: 
"You  will  probably  be  sent  South  under  a  guard." 

"To  Richmond? "  asks  the  piquant  prisoner,  with 
apparently  forced  anxiety. 

"You  will  pardon  me.  I  cannot  discuss  this  affair 
with  you,"  answers  the  Confederate  major  ;  it  seems  to 
me,  with  an  affected  and  exaggerated  brusqueness. 

"Ah,  you  Southerners  are  not  as  gallant  as  Captain 
Hamilton,  the  Federal,  was  to  me  but  a  few  moments 
ago."  She  turns  on  me  a  sweet,  yet  mocking  smile. 

Stepping  to  her,  I  whisper  :  "  You  will  forgive  words 
I  couldn't  help  uttering?" 

"I  will,  if  Miss  Eva  Ashley  will,"  returns  Miss  Enig- 
ma in  a  low  voice  ;  then  suddenly  breaks  out  laughing 
again. 

"You  won't  tell  me  your  name ?  " 

"Never!" 

With  this  answer  I  am  compelled  to  be  content,  for 
Thornton  is  saying  impatiently:  "Come  quickly, 
Hamilton,  if  you  would  escape  Libby  Prison." 

We  walk  out  of  the  stable  and  cross  the  garden,  the 
young  lady  following  us,  a  strange  merriment  in  her 
beautiful  face.  In  the  hotel  I  whisper  to  Thornton  : 
"Tell  me  her  name.  You  must  have  discovered  it  by 
this  time." 

"  Not  on  my  life,  young  man  !  "  is  the  Confederate's 
jeering  answer.  Then  he  utters  this  ambiguous  sug- 
gestion :  "But  you  will  doubtless  know  some  day  to 
your  sorrow."  And  he,  too,  goes  into  an  uncontrol- 
lable fit  of  merriment. 

"  Hang  it !  Are  they  both  mad  ?  "  I  think.  Then  I 
mutter:  "Who  the  deuce  is  she?"  For  oh,  how  I 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  49 

want  to  know  !  the  exquisite,  roguish,  pathetic,  sym- 
pathetic, jeering  beauty  of  the  girl  I  caught  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac  has  surely  captured  me. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

STONEWALL   JACKSON    ASKS    A   FEW   QUESTIONS. 

IN  the  main  street,  checking  with  some  difficulty  his 
merriment,  which  I  look  sternly  upon,  for  it  seems  to 
me  there  is  a  mocking  ring  in  it,  the  Confederate 
major,  forcing  his  face  to  seriousness,  remarks  with 
military  abruptness  :  "  They  have  a  few  questions  at 
Headquarters  to  ask  you.  If  you  reply  to  them  satis- 
factorily, Captain  Hamilton,  you  will  probably  be 
paroled  at  once." 

' '  And  if  my  answers  are  not  satisfactory  ? "  I  ask 
moodily. 

"Then,  perhaps,  sent  to  Richmond  under  guard." 

This  suggestion  makes  me  gloomy.  I  have  a  pretty 
shrewd  idea  of  the  kind  of  questions  that  will  be  asked 
me,  and  have  determined  not  to  reply  to  them.  But 
present  military  spectacle  drives  from  my  mind  visions 
of  Libby  Prison. 

Evidences  of  the  Confederate  occupation  are  every- 
where present.  A  brigade  of  A.  P.  Hill's  Division  is 
marching  up  the  street,  its  band  playing  "In  Dixie's 
Land."  The  faces  of  both  officers  and  men  are  confi- 
dent and  enthusiastic,  though  their  uniforms  are  worn 
and  ragged. 

Their  reception  by  the  inhabitants  of  Frederick  indi- 
cates a  decided  variety  of  political  sentiment.  In  some 
cases  the  blinds  of  the  houses  are  closed,  though  from 
behind  them  eager  eyes  are  scrutinizing  the  boys  in 
gray  as  they  march  past.  Some  of  the  other  dwellings 
are  open,  their  occupants,  men  and  women,  gazing 
with  curiosity  upon  the  ^nilitary  pageant,  with  faces 
showing  a  sympathy  they  dare  not  more  openly  ex- 
press. In  a  few  others,  however,  Southern  sentiment 
is  vivaciously,  enthusiastically  and  boldly  displayed. 
One  mansion  is  decorated  with  Confederate  flags,  the 
ladies  and  gentlemen  on  its  veranda  waving  their 


SO  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

handkerchiefs  and  displaying  the  Southern  colors, 
while  the  members  of  the  family  distribute  to  the  pass- 
ing soldiers  eatables  and  clothing  such  as  seem  most 
needed. 

"That's  Ross's  residence,"  remarks  Thornton. 
"  He's  the  happiest  man  in  Maryland.  You  Yanks  had 
him  in  Fort  McHenry  for  awhile,  but  now  he  is  able  to 
shout  secession  as  much  as  he  likes  without  being 
arrested.  He  is  giving  us  a  banquet  this  evening.  I 
hope  to  make  up  for  six  months  short  rations  at  Mr. 
Ross's  hospitable  board." 

"But  supposing  we  Yanks  come  back,"  I  ask. 

"  But  you  won't,  my  boy  ;  we  are  in  Maryland  to 
stay,"  replies  the  Confederate,  confidently.  "Any- 
way, our  friends  here  are  having  a  good  time  now. 
The  pent-up  enthusiasm  of  two  years  is  let  loose  kiting  ! 
They've  just  torn  up  and  destroyed  the  office  of  the 
Frederick  "Examiner,"  a  red  hot  Black  Republican 
paper.  Scholtz,  the  editor,  skedaddled  this  morning 
as  Jeb  Stuart's  Cavalry  came  into  town.  But  here  are 
Jackson's  headquarters." 

The  number  of  orderlies  holding  staff-officers'  horses, 
an  occasional  brigade  or  division  commander  riding 
up,  all  indicate  the  military  home  of  the  Confederate 
chieftain.  At  present  Bradley  Johnston,  who  has  just 
been  appointed  provost-marshal  of  the  place,  is  mak- 
ing an  address  in  the  garden  outside  to  a  number 
of  the  citizens  of  Frederick  who  are  congregated 
about  him,  assuring  them  that  their  private  property 
will  be  held  inviolate,  and  any  supplies  taken  from 
them  will  be  paid  for  in  Confederate  or  Federal  money, 
as  they  elect  ;  that  any  soldier  discovered  in  the 
slightest  transgression  against  private  rights  or  prop- 
erty will  be  summarily  and  severely  punished. 

Making  our  way  through  gaping  farmers  who  have 
come  grumblingly  to  headquarters  to  present  orders 
for  live-stock  and  provisions  gleaned  from  them  by 
Rebel  foraging  parties,  Thornton  ushers  me  in  by  aside 
doof. 

Here,  after  a  few  whispered  words  with  an  orderly, 
my  Confederate  friend  remarks  to  me  :  "You'll  have 
to  wait  a  short  time.  General  Jackson  is  now  engaged 
with  General  Stuart." 

With  this  he  leads  me  inte  wha*  is  apparently  the 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  51 

main  room  of  the  house,  where  a  number  of  Rebel 
officers  are  standing  about  chatting,  and  a  few  more 
are  writing,  seemingly  very  busy  over  general  staff 
duties. 

As  I  enter,  a  little  conversation  is  wafted  to  me 
from  a  red-faced  brigadier  and  a  colonel  of  cavalry, 
who,  in  his  high  boots  and  plumed  slouch  hat,  looks 
like  an  old-time  cavalier.  Apparently,  they  have  not 
noticed  me,  and  their  words  are  by  no  means  guarded. 

"  We  have  tried  every  way  to  get  the  information, 
for  General  Jackson  seems  to  want  it  immediately," 
says  the  colonel.  "  You  see,  none  of  our  command 
crossed  into  Maryland  earlier  than  dusk  last  night,  so 
no  trooper  or  officer  of  ours  can  tell.  Two  of  McClel- 
lan's  Army  Corps  never  crossed  the  Potomac  to  join 
Pope.  We  must  know  whether  any  of  them  have  been 
sent  into  Harper's  Ferry  to  strengthen  that  place." 

"Then  why  the  deuce  don't  you  try  the  cursed 
Maryland  farmers?"  interjects  the  brigadier,  with  an 
oath. 

"We  have  !"  returns  the  cavalryman.  "One  half 
won't  tell  us  if  they  can  ;  and  the  other  half  have  been 
so  busy  harvesting  their  corn  that  their  sleepy,  bucolic 
eyes  haven't  noticed.  Besides,  the  trains  with  rein- 
forcements might  have  passed  through  in  the  night." 

"  By  the  Lord  Harry  !  if  I  were  Stuart,  I'd  get  it  out 
of  these  cursed,  no-side  Maryland  yokels  if  I  had  to 
string  'em  up  by  the  thumbs  !  "  mutters  the  burly 
general-officer,  whose  breath  indicates  Kentucky 
Bourbon. 

"But,"  dissents  the  colonel,  "you  know  we  invade 
this  State  as  friends,  not  enemies  !  " 

"  And  the  blasted  Maryland  farmer  has  by  this  time 
discovered  that  there's  lots  of  Yankee  greenbacks  for 
his  live  stock  and  grain,  delivered  to  the  U.  S.  Com- 
missary in  Washington,"  mutters  the  brigade-command- 
er. "That's  the  reason  these  country  louts  outside 
scowl  at  us — their  deliverers — as  they  take  our  Confed- 
erate currency  for  their  farm  produce." 

Then  his  eye  suddenly  catches  my  blue  uniform, 
which,  with  my  lack  of  side-arms,  now  begins  to 
attract  attention  from  the  surrounding  warriors  in 
gray.  He  advances  irascibly  towards  me,  and  I,  catch- 
ing his  name  from  Thornton,  remember  him  as  a 


52  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

gentleman  I  had  heard  of,  in  old  army  lore,  as  a  bully 
in  Dragoon  service  on  the  frontier,  where,  after  eating 
government  pap  for  thirty  years,  he  had  resigned  his 
command  at  the  first  rumor  of  secession,  and  come 
East,  "to  give  the  Yankees  hell,"  as  he  expressed 
it. 

Glaring  at  the  blue  uniform  he  had  once  worn, 
this  potentate  growls  :  "  Who  the  devil  are  you  ? " 

After  learning  my  rank  in  the  Union  Army  and  the 
particulars  of  my  capture,  this  bluff  old  soldier  says 
to  me,  the  arrogance  of  authority  in  his  voice  : 
"  Come,  sir,  we  want  the  following  information  from 
you,  and  we  must  have  it  quick  !  If  your  answers  are 
satisfactory,  we  will  parole  you  at  once." 

"  Isn't  that  somewhat  in  the  nature  of  a  bribe, 
General?"  I  reply  to  him. 

"  You  must  be  your  own  judge  of  that,"  answers 
the  martinet  sharply.  "What  is  the  strength  of  your 
garrison  at  Harper's  Ferry  ? " 

"My  military  honor  will  not  permit  me  to  answer 
that  question,  sir,  "  I  return  stiffly. 

"  Confound  it  !  How  many  men  have  you  at 
Martinsburg  ?  " 

"  I  am  unable  to  state." 

"  Hang  it  !  What  is  the  strength  of  your  command 
at  Winchester  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  reply." 

"  Dash  it,  don't  you  mean  to  give  me  any  informa 
tion  at  all  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Permit  me  to  be  of  service  to  you,  General," 
I  say  blandly,  unheeding  Thornton's  warning  look. 
"You  were  educated  at  West  Point — only  a  great 
many  years  before  me — you  must  remember  the 
teachings  regarding  military  secrecy  and  military 
honor.  I  imagine  they  were  just  the  same  in  your 
day  as  they  were  in  mine." 

"  Damn  it,  sir  ;  do  you  mean  to  teach  me  my  pro- 
fession ? "  roars  the  Rebel  brigadier,  getting  very  red 
in  the  face,  for  some  of  the  staff  officers  about  find 
great  difficulty  in  choking  down  their  merriment. 
"Your  parole  is  revoked  !  "  he  says  to  me  sternly,  then 
summons  a  sergeant  :  "  Place  this  man  under  imme- 
diate close  arrest  ;  forward  him  under  guard  to  Libby 
Prison  in  Richmond  by  the  first  return  wagons  !  " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  53 

My  heart 'sinks  at  the  prospect  of  long  confinement  ; 
perhaps  during  the  whole  war. 

Here  Thornton  comes  to  my  aid.  He  remarks  : 
"Pardon  me;  I  have  General  Jackson's  orders  to 
conduct  Captain  Hamilton  to  him  immediately." 

"  Then  why  the  devil  didn't  you  say  so  ? "  growls 
the  blustering  brigadier. 

A  moment  later  I  hear  :  "General  Jackson  desires 
to  see  you  now." 

An  orderly  opens  the  door,  and  Thornton  beckons 
me  into  an  adjoining  apartment. 

As  I  enter  I  catch  "  reinforcements — Harper's 
Ferry."  But  I  am  thinking  more  of  my  personal  fate 
than  anything  else,  and  I  scarce  note  the  words. 

A  dashing,  bronzed  and  free-and-easy  trooper  is  just 
striding  out. 

I  stare  as  I  recognize,  from  old  West  Point  history, 
the  great  cavalry-commander  remembered  at  the  Mili- 
tary Academy  as  "Beauty  "  Stuart.  His  brow  is  lofty 
and  his  eyes  as  flashing  as  a  roguish  boy's,  and  his 
manner  as  full  of  juvenile  freshness  as  a  Plebe's. 

Can  this  be  the  man  who  has  made  himself  famous 
as  the  inventor  of  the  complete-circle-of-the-enemy- 
raid  ?  Is  this  the  cavalryman  who  rides  all  day  and 
fights  all  night,  and  then  rides  on  again  ? 

But  it  is  ! 

For  a  quiet,  modest,  but  mathematically  precise  voice 
calls  him  back  :  "  One  moment,  General  Stuart  ; 
remember  I  must  have  this  information  !  " 

"  General  Jackson,  you  shall  have  the  information  !  " 
says  the  cavalryman,  confidently.  "  If  I  can't  twist 
it  out  of  the  farmers'  boys,  I'll " 

"  Remember — no  threats,  nor  force  !  We  come  into 
this  State  as  friends." 

"  I'll — I'll  wheedle  it  out  of  the  farmers'  girls,  along 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  railroad,"  laughs  the  trooper, 
stroking  his  long  moustache  caressingly.  "  General, 
I'm  good  with  the  girls  !  " 

Apparently  the  dashing  Confederate  is  good  with  the 
girls.  For  even  as  he  speaks,  some  pretty  little  Mary- 
land maidens  are  decorating  with  wreaths  of  flowers  his 
prancing  war-horse,  held  by  an  orderly,  in  the  street 
outside. 

Striding  from  the  house,  this  rough-riding,    hard- 


54  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

fighting,  non-drinking,  never-swearing  cavalry  general 
of  boyish  frankness  and  youthful  elan,  steps  to  the 
street  and  swings  his  long  legs,  in  high  boots,  over  his 
mettlesome  Virginia  charger. 

Then  leaning  laughingly  from  his  saddle,  he  picks 
up  a  little  tot,  who  unabashed  offers  him  a  sweet-smell- 
ing posy.  Kissing  the  child  tenderly,  he  holds  it  in 
front  of  him,  and  so  surrounded  by  fresh  blooming 
flowers  and  with  innocent  childhood  in  his  arms,  the 
Virginia  cavalryman  is  for  one  moment  a  picture  of 
peace. 

Then  placing  the  child  carefully  on  the  ground,  Jeb 
Stuart  becomes  a  man  of  war  again,  and  plunging  his 
rowels  into  his  steed,  dashes  away,  singing  gayly  : 

"  If  you  want  to  have  a  good  time, 
J'ine  the  cavalry ! 
J'ine  the  cavalry  1  " 

Turning  from  this  martial,  yet  pastoral  scene,  I 
anxiously  place  my  eyes  on  the  arbiter  of  my  fate. 

Seemingly  too  absorbed  in  thought  to  notice  me,  a 
tall,  raw-boned  figure,  in  a  faded,  battle-worn,  undress 
uniform  of  the  Confederacy,  is  rapidly,  with  a  peculiar 
stride,  pacing  the  floor.  The  two  stars  on  his  military 
collar  indicate  a  major-general.* 

"  This  is  Captain  Hamilton — the  officer  you  wish  to 
see,  General  Jackson,"  remarks  Thornton,  saluting. 

As  the  staff-officer  retires,  I  will  confess  my  view  of 
the  Confederate  chieftain  astonishes  me.  Can  this  be 
the  man  who  has  carried  victory  in  his  hand  on  so 
many  stricken  fields  ? 

Though  his  aquiline  nose  and  firm  lips  under  the  full 
beard  and  moustache  indicate  decision,  and  his  high 
forehead  and  massive  brows  portray  both  gigantic, 
intellectual  force  and  power  of  intense  concentration 
of  mind,  still  his  gaze  is  more  that  of  a  student  than  a 
vnarrior,  and  his  manner  diffident — even  to  bashfulness. 
His  smile  is  winning,  his  voice  has  the  quiet  tones 
of  a  reticent  professor  rather  than  the  sharp  command 
of  a  military  chieftain,  though  there  is  a  mathematical 
directness  in  them  as  he  says  to  me  :  "I  am  sorry  to 

*  Jackson  was  not  made  a  Lieutenant-General  till  after  Frederick* 
burg. — ED. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  55 

trouble  you,  Captain  Hamilton,  with  a  few  questions, 
before  granting  your  parole.  You  had  been  scouting 
on  the  Potomac,  I  understand,  when  you  were  cap- 
tured ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  I  answer  promptly. 

"  Ah,  guarding  trains  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  rail- 
way, I  presume,"  he  says.  His  eyes  are  meditative. 

"  No,  sir,"  I  reply  carelessly.  "  There  were  no 
trains  to  guard." 

"  Thank  you  !  " 

Suddenly  his  manner  changes.  He  is  no  more  the 
student  ;  he  is  the  military  genius — the  inspired  strate- 
gist— the  commander  who  holds  the  forces  of  war 
within  his  grasp. 

"  Good  God  !      \Vhat  have  I  carelessly  told  him  !  " 

He  has  sounded  a  bell  upon  his  table.  A  staff- 
officer  enters  hurriedly.  To  him  he  whispers  certain 
orders  with  great  rapidity,  repeating  them  over,  I 
imagine,  from  the  way  he  speaks  and  adding  : 
"  See  that  every  division-commander  in  my  corps  gets 
this  in  duplicate  by  separate  messengers  within 
the  hour."  As  I  stand  in  the  corner  of  the  room  and 
watch  the  play  of  his  precise  yet  confident  and 
enthusiastic  features,  and  see  the  nostrils  of  the  aqui- 
line nose  expanding,  and  the  great  eyes,  glowing  under 
their  prominent  brows  that  give  to  them  such  intensity 
of  divination,  I  start  and  wonder  :  "Have  my  words 
produced  this  sudden  resolution  in  the  Confederate 
commander  ?  " 

All  at  once  it  strikes  me  like  a  rifle  shot.  If  there 
were  no  trains  to  guard  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  rail- 
road, the  only  route  to  Harper's  Ferry,  no  reinforce- 
ments have  gone  into  this  place.  Some  one  must  have 
given  the  Confederate  general  exact  information  as  to 
what  was  the  strength  of  its  garrison  a  few  days  before. 
If  they  have  not  been  reinforced,  by  the  two  corps  of 
McClellan's  of  which  we  have  no  report,  he  knows  the 
exact  Union  forces  in  the  doomed  fortress.  What 
Stuart's  cavalry  could  not  get  for  him, — what  Maryland 
farmers  could  not  or  would  not  give  him, — what  the 
blustering  brigadier  could  not  bully  out  of  me,  the 
student,  in  two  most  politic  and  deftly  worded  sen- 
tences, has  drawn  from  me. 

I  gaze  disconcerted  and  chagrined  out  of  the  window, 


56  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

and  see  staff-officers  one  after  another  galloping  of? 
hurriedly,  and  a  division-commander  and  a  couple  of 
brigadiers  mounting  their  horses  and  riding  away  in 
sudden  haste. 

A  moment  later,  the  courteous  voice  of  the  Confeder- 
ate chieftain  calls  me  to  him.  ' '  There  is  only  one  thing 
more,  which  can  in  no  way  affect  the  military  situation," 
he  says  ;  ' '  the  young  lady  you  arrested  at  Norton's  Ford 
last  evening — the  one  captured  when  you  were  taken 
prisoner. "  There  is  a  pathetic  interest  in  the  Confed- 
erate general's  tones. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  what  of  her  ?  "  I  ask  anxiously. 

"  Do  you  know  her  name  ?  " 

"No,  sir!  She  absolutely  refused  to  give  me  any 
information  on  that  subject !  " 

"Have  you  any  idea  of  her  purpose  in  attempting1 
to  cross  the  river  ?  " 

' '  No,  sir.  " 

"This  is  on  your  honor,  both  as  an  officer  and  a 
gentleman  ? " 

"  It  is,  sir  !     My  answers  are  absolutely  coirect." 

"Thank  you  !  Then  you  will  be  paroled  as  soon  as 
possible." 

A  moment  later  the  Confederate  General  gives  direc- 
tions to  this  effect  to  Thornton,  who  is  waiting  for  me  ; 
then  astounds  and  confuses  me  again  by  ordering  an 
aide  to  bring  to  him  instantly  the  map  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  calling  the  dashing  cavalry  colonel  of  the  plumed 
hat  in  to  him,  I  hear  him  in  distinct  voice  and  direct 
tones  order : 

"Colonel  Brien,  overtake  General  Stuart  and  tell  him 
your  regiment  is  to  ride  as  far  as  Chambersburg  ;  I 
wish  to  know  if  any  Pennsylvania  militia  or  State 
troops  are  gathered  at  that  point.  You  will  make  no 
attack  upon  them — only  so  far  as  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  develop  their  force.  Then  return  with  the  in- 
formation to  me." 

"  Is  this  last  order  intended  to  befog  me  ?  "  I  think,  as 
I  notice  the  General  glances  towards  me  once  or  twice. 
Any  way,  this  places  my  mind  in  a  muddle.  I  had 
supposed  General  Jackson's  point  of  attack  was  Har- 
per's Ferry  ;  now  it  seems  to  me  his  eye  is  turned  to- 
wards Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia.  At  all  events,  I 
am  no  more  sure  of  his  absolute  intentions  than  when 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  57 

I  entered.     All  I  know  is  that  my  hasty  words  have 
given  him  the  information  he  wanted. 

So  we  walk  out  from  the  headquarters  of  the  man 
whose  genius  made  for  the  first  two  years  of  the  war  a 
triumphant  South. 


CHAPTER  V. 
"FIND  HER  AND — MAKE  LOVE  TO  HER." 

IN  the  street,  the  Confederate  Major  whispers  to 
me  :  "What  do  you  think  of  him  ?  " 

"Think  of  him  ?"  I  answer.  "He  is  the  greatest 
diplomatist  I  ever  saw.  He  got  out  of  me  as  an  irrel- 
evant side  remark  what  that  blustering  brigadier  could 
not  by  direct  questions." 

"Ah,  but  you  should  see  the  diplomatist  in  battle" 
answers  my  companion,  "  or  on  the  march.  Hang  it, 
he  gives  us  no  rest !  We've  marched  farther,  fought 
more  and  eaten  less  than  any  troops  in  the  history  of 
the  world ;  and  would  go  faster,  if  the  cursed  com- 
missariat could  keep  up  with  us  !  "  says  the  major,  un- 
wittingly betraying  the  great  weakness  of  the  Confed- 
erate army — their  commissariat. 

The  provisioning  their  men  and  foraging  their  horses 
was  always  their  embarrassment. 

Even  this  very  day  an  effective  commissariat  might 
have  made  a  change  in  the  whole  war.  Could  Stone- 
wall Jackson  have  moved  at  once,  Harper's  Ferry 
would  have  fallen  five  days  before  it  did.  Jackson's 
immense  Army  Corps  would  have  joined  the  main 
body  of  Lee's  command  at  South  Mountain.  With 
the  Confederate  force  so  increased  in  power,  McClel- 
ian's  army  might  have  been  beaten  at  Turner's  and 
Crampton's  Gaps  ;  there  might  have  been  no  Antietam. 

Evidences,  though,  of  the  hurried  gathering  together 
of  provisions  are  now  apparent.  A  cavalry  troop 
comes  up,  driving  a  drove  of  cattle  on  the  hoof. 
Shortly  after  another  appears,  escorting  wagons  laden 
down  with  forage,  corn  and  provisions.  Evidently 
every  effort  will  be  made  to  get  on  the  march  at  once. 

"You  will  have  to  stay  here,"  remarks  my  Confed- 
erate friend  as  we  pause  in  front  of  the  hotel,  "  until  I 


58  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

can  escort  you  from  the  lines.  That  I  shall  be  too 
busy  to  do  before  evening.  Make  yourself  comfort- 
able, and  eat  another  square  meal." 

"Thank  you,"  1  reply,  and  hurry  into  the  hostelry. 
But  a  square  meal  is  not  in  my  mind — my  one  thought 
is  to  again  see  the  beautiful  face  I  left  there  this  morn- 
ing. For  some  very  curious  speculations  have  come 
into  my  mind  regarding  Miss  Illusive.  Why  was 
General  Jackson  so  anxious  to  discover  if  I  knew  her 
name  or  her  reasons  for  crossing  to  the  Virginia  side  ? 

With  this  purpose  I  look  around  the  hotel,  for  I  hesi- 
tate to  inquire  about  my  charmer  at  the  office ;  my 
questions  might  perhaps  unpleasant  produce  comment 
upon  the  lady  of  my  thoughts. 

I  look  about  the  garden.     She  is  not  there  ! 

I  wander  to  the  stables.  Our  horses  are  crunching 
their  oats  cheerily.  Bonny  Belle,  the  pretty  half-Arab 
mare  which  had  borne  my  companion  so  bravely  the 
night  before,  is  whinnying  for  more  sugar ;  but  her  fair 
mistress  is  not  there  to  give  it. 

I  recross  the  garden  and  return  to  the  hotel,  to  eat  a 
moody  meal.  I  daudle  the  time  away,  lounging  about 
with  one  of  Lammersdorffs  cigars  in  my  mouth. 
Darkness  slowly  comes  upon  the  scene. 

I  stroll  out  upon  the  veranda.  Sitting  in  the  twilight 
I  find  at  least  quiet ;  for  though  the  front  of  the  house 
is  full  of  customers,  the  garden  is  practically  deserted. 
The  gnats  in  the  soft  summer  evening  air  annoy  me. 
Hoping  to  escape  them,  I  take  my  chair,  descend  to 
the  garden  and  seat  myself,  thinking  the  breezes  of  the 
evening  may  blow  them  away. 

In  this  position  my  head  is  some  two  feet  below  the 
flooring  of  the  balcony.  In  the  darkness,  which  is  aided 
by  some  shrubs  and  the  climbing  vines  of  the  portico, 
I  am  indiscernible  from  the  illuminated  portion  of  the 
house.  A  gloomy  meditation  upon  my  coming  en- 
forced inactivity  until  exchanged  causes  my  cigar  to 
die  out.  This  is  broken  in  upon  by  a  soft  feminine 
voice  above  me. 

It  is  her  voice  ;  her  vivacious  accents  !  The  lady  of 
my  quest  is  speaking  apparently  to  a  Confederate 
officer,  by  whose  side  she  is  promenading  the  veranda. 
Who  is  the  gentleman  ?  I  know  from  his  tones  he  is 
riot  Thornton. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  59 

As  they  walk,  when  near  me  I  hear  their  words ; 
when  at  the  other  end  of  the  balcony,  I  miss  them. 
It  seems  to  me  I  miss  those  I  want  most,  though  even 
as  it  is  I  hear  too  much  for  my  own  peace  of  mind  ; 
for  this  is  what  comes  to  me  in  broken-up,  disjointed 
phrases  : 

"Oh  !  how  great  my  joy  at  meeting  you  !  "  What  a 
pleasant  walk  we've  had,  dear  Charley " 

Then  they  are  at  the  other  end  of  the  veranda. 

My  heaven  !  What  a  pang  "dear  Charley"  gives 
me.  My  charmer  has  come  to  meet  a  Confederate 
beau  !  That's  the  meaning  of  her  night  ride  between 
contending  armies. 

They  are  near  me  again. 

Suddenly  my  woe  at  this  beautiful  girl  being  the 
sweetheart  of  another  is  destroyed  by  chagrin,  even 
rage.  As  she  comes  near  me  this  time,  the  young  lady 
is  apparently  merry. 

"Wasn't  it  curious?"  she  is  babbling.  "  My  being 
captured  by  him,  and  he  a  Union  officer.  It — it  was 
quite  embarrassing."  There  is  a  delicious  naivete  and 
diffidence  in  the  girl's  voice. 

"He  made  a  little  love  to  you,  I  presume,  eh?" 
says  the  masculine  voice  in  bantering  tones. 

"He — he  might  have,"  is  murmured  in  sweet  yet 
bashful  accents.  "  But — but  I  kept  him  in  order  by 
threatening  to  tell  his  fiancee,  Miss  EvaVernon  Ashley, 
of  Virginia." 

"WHAT?"  almost  screams  the  man.  "You  dis- 
ciplined his  amorous  spirit  in  that  way  ?  Well,  of  all 
the  cool  and  original  things  !  "  and  the  gentleman  burst 
into  uproarious  laughter. 

"  Yes,  I've — I've  had  hysterics  over  it  twice  to-day," 
giggles  the  young  lady.  "Oh,  Charley,  how  he  looked 
at  me  when  I  taxed  him  with  his  engagement !  Ha, 
ha,  ha  !  He,  he,  he!  " 

The  light,  silvery,  yet  half-mocking  cadences  of  the 
girl  mingle  with  the  deeper  guffaws  of  the  man,  both 
dying  away  as  they  leave  me,  for  they  are  pacing  to- 
wards the  further  end  of  the  veranda. 

With  a  gesture  of  rage  I  toss  away  my  extinguished 
cigar.  Curse  it  !  they  are  laughing  at  me  / 

But  greater  anguish  is  in  store.  They  are  approach- 
ing again.  She  is  saying  very  tenderly  :  "  Fancy  my 


60  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

joy  when  I  saw  you,  dear  Charley,  ride  by  in  the  street 
I'd — I'd  not  seen  your  loved  face  for  three  long  months.' 

And  then — my  God  ! — the  sound  comes  to  me  of  a 
tender  kiss  ! 

His  affianced  or  his  bride  ;  I  know  that  now  !  For  I 
feel  that  this  girl  is  one  who  would  never  surrender  her 
lips  unless  she  had  given  her  heart  in  honor.  Her  pure 
innocence  and  noble  womanhood  have  told  me  that. 

Thank  heaven,  she  has  turned  and  gone  into  the 
hotel  with  her  Confederate.  I  shall  suffer  no  more 
agony  from  their  half-mocking  laughter — from  their 
torturing  kisses. 

Permitting  a  few  minutes  to  elapse,  partly  to  over- 
come my  agitation,  and  partly  that  by  no  chance  the 
girl  may  suspect  I  have  overheard  her  tender  interview, 
I  rise  and  stroll  into  the  hostelry,  thinking  glumly  how 
she  must  love  him.  No  wonder  she  doesn't  care  to 
have  her  name  known,  for  the  gossip  of  an  army. 
She  took  the  chances  of  war  to  visit  her  affianced,  and 
he — curse  him  ! — didn't  even  seem  over-complimented 
by  Miss  Beauty's  devotion  and  the  risks  she  took  to 
meet  him. 

In  the  hotel  I  am  almost  immediately  met  by 
Thornton.  He  says  :  "Come  with  me;  I  am  to  take 
you  to  the  provost-marshal,  who  will  receive  your  for- 
mal parole,  and  then  I'm  to  conduct  you  out  of  the 
Confederate  lines." 

"  Come  on — quick  !  "  I  return  savagely. 

"  You'd  not  like  to  see  Miss — Miss  Incognita — just 
for  one  moment?"  asks  the  Confederate  major  with 
a  grin. 

"Certainly  not!"  my  tone  makes  him  start — then  I 
query  anxiously  :  "My  horse  ?  " 

"That  you  are  to  have.  Stonewall  Jackson,  who 
thinks  of  everything  and  every  one  but  himself,  told 
me  not  to  put  you  down  on  foot  in  the  road." 

Delighted  that  I  have  saved  Roderick,  I  go  to  the 
stable,  saddle  up  hurriedly  and  rejoin  the  Confederate 
major,  who  mounts  and  rides  with  me  to  the  provost- 
marshal's  office.  There  my  parole  is  formally  made 
out. 

As  this  is  being  done  I  note  a  cavalry  guard  un- 
der a  sergeant  being  told  off. 

An  hour  later  I  am  shaking  Thornton's  hand  and 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  6l 

bidding  him  "  Good-bye  and  God  bless  you  !  "  at  the 
last  outlying  Confederate  picket. 

"You  know  the  name  of  the  young  lady?"  I  can't 
help  saying. 

"  Don't  ask  me  any  questions  about  her,"  he  replies  ; 
then  bursts  out  laughing. 

"  You  refuse  to  answer  for  military  reasons  ?  "  I  ques- 
tion half-angrily. 

His  reply  astounds  me  :    "No  ;  for  social  ones  !  " 

"  What  mystery  is  there  about  her  and  me  /"I  cry, 
sudden  inspiration  coming  to  me.  ' '  And  what  are  you 
going  to  do  with  her  ?  " 

"She  is  to  be  sent  South  under  guard  this  evening," 
replies  Thornton. 

"  For  what  reason  ?  " 

His  answer  almost  petrifies  me  :  "  Hang  it !  We 
think  her  a  Yankee  spy.  The  girl  has  even  refused  to 
speak  to  General  Jackson.  Egad,  you  ought  to  hear 
some  of  the  Secesh  maidens  in  Frederick  discuss  her. 
A  Virginia  girl  rude  to  Stonewall  Jackson  !  They'd  like 
to  tear  her  eyes  out." 

"Impossible  !  "  I  mutter. 

"Nevertheless,  the  sergeant's  guard  for  her  left  the 
provost-marshal's  office  even  as  we  entered  it.  You 
saw  them  told  off.  But  I  must  bid  you  good-bye. 
Here,  we've  put  you  in  the  road,  with  a  horse.  Take 
one  of  my  pistols  ;  bushwhackers  may  be  about. 
Good-bye  ;  God  bless  you  !  Give  my  love  to  the  Bal- 
timore girls." 

"And  my  regards  to  Mrs.  Thornton,"  I  reply,  as  I 
ride  off  into  the  darkness  along  the  pike  that  leads  from 
Frederick  towards  Urbana  en  route  for  Washington. 

Roderick  carries  me  eighteen  miles  that  night  to 
Clarksburg.  In  proof  of  the  efficiency  of  the  rebel  pa- 
trols, I  am  halted  on  this  portion  of  my  journey  by 
scouting  parties  of  Stuart's  command,  and  compelled 
to  show  my  pass  from  Confederate  headquarters  no 
less  than  five  times. 

Judging  by  the  talk  of  the  innkeeper  of  this  place 
that  I  am  pretty  well  beyond  the  sphere  of  Rebel 
raiders,  I  sleep  in  Clarksburgh.  Getting  on  my  way  the 
next  morning  about  eleven  o'clock  a  little  adventure 
comes  to  me  that  has  considerable  effect  upon  my  life, 
though  at  the  time  I  think  it  unimportant.  Some  few 


62  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

miles  beyond  Middlebrook  I  overtake  five  four-mule 
sutlers'  teams,  apparently  held  up  by  a  couple  of  men 
in  the  road. 

"  Hello,  more  Rebel  raiders !  "  I  think,  but  journey 
confidently  towards  them,  as  I  have  a  Confederate 
pass  in  my  pocket.  On  approaching,  however,  I  dis- 
cover the  men  on  foot  wear  blue  uniforms  and  are 
holding  an  excited  discussion  with  a  gentleman  who  is 
damning  them  in  High  Dutch  and  Low  Dutch,  with 
now  and  then  a  Yankee  oath  with  German  phrasing. 
I  recognize  the  tones  as  Lammersdorffs. 

"Mein  Gott  in  Himmel,  is  dat  you,  Cap  ?  You  vas 
alive  mit  yourself?"  cries  the  sutler  who,  in  his  shirt- 
sleeves, and  armed  only  with  his  black-snake  whip, 
is  confronting  a  scoundrel  who  is  handling  a  U.  S.  Army 
musket. 

"Yes,  but  captured,  as  you  said  I  would  be,"  I  an- 
swer, riding  up. 

"  Den,  kevick  !  prove  you  is  alive  by  helping  me  to 
stand  off  dese  damned  tieving  bounty-jumpers  who 
vants  to  drink  my  beer  for  nutting." 

"You  lying  Dutch  huckster !  "  cries  one  of  the  ruf- 
fians, "  Take  that  to  keep  your  jaw  shut !  "  He  is  a 
cocking  and  raising  his  gun  as  my  revolver  cracks. 
The  Confederate  had  loaded  his  weapon  properly,  and 
the  fellow  screams  with  pain  as  his  arm  falls  to  his 
side. 

Then  he  and  his  comrade  jump  the  fence  and  take  to 
the  fields.  Gazing  after  them,  I  discover  the  two  men 
are  half-drunken  stragglers  from  one  of  the  regiments 
in  camp  near  Washington,  a  kind  of  gentry  very  prev- 
alent about  the  capital  in  those  days. 

"Thanks  for  your  aid  and  comfort,  "says  the  German 
gratefully.  "  I  shan't  forget  dat  you  saves  my  life." 
Then  looking  at  me  with  wondering  eyes,  he  mutters  : 
"And  de  Rebs  didn't  send  you  to  Richmond?" 

"  No  !     I  am  on  parole,  but  hungry." 

"Veil,  sit  in  ze  vagon  mit  me.  Von  of  my  boys  vill 
ride  your  horse,  and  ve'll  eat  a  Bologna  sausage  und 
delicatessen,  und  crack  a  bottle  of  champagne  together 
on  your  escape  from  ze  Rebs  und  my  escape  from 
dese  damned  Union  robbers.  Here,  Fritz,  hitch  ze 
Cap's  horse  alongside  your  offish  mule  ;  ze  Von  dat 
doesn't  kick  mit  himself." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  63 

I  accept  the  genial  sutler's  offer,  and  together  we 
drive  towards  Washington.  We  soon  come  upon  scout- 
ing parties  of  Union  cavalry,  of  Pleasanton's  command, 
thrown  out  to  mask  the  movement  of  McClellan's 
army  corps. 

As  we  approach  Rockville,  our  way  is  blocked  and 
our  journey  made  tedious  by  the  infantry  of  Couch's 
division,  already  on  the  march  to  attempt  to  save 
Harper's  Ferry. 

After  passing  with  great  difficulty  these  sunburnt 
veterans  who,  just  returned  from  the  battles  of  the 
Peninsula,  are  nearly  as  dirty,  though  not  quite  as 
ragged  as  "  Stonewall "  Jackson's  boys,  we  come  on 
Slocum's  division,  the  advance  of  Franklin's  corps, 
likewise  dilapidated  by  hard  service,  and  the  First 
Massachusetts  Battery,  led  by  its  gallant  young  cap- 
tain, Josiah  Porter,  that  is  on  its  way  to  take  its 
place  at  the  apex  of  that  fiery  crown  of  artillery  that 
at  the  Antietam  hurled  back  Lee's  last  desperate  charge 
of  veterans  that  never  had  been  stopped  before. 

"  Hello,  damn  it !  "  growls  Lammersdorff.  "  More 
troops,  more  dust  und  more  vagons  und  ardtillery.  I'd 
shust  as  veil  go  into  camp  myself  by  the  road  undtil 
dey  passes." 

To  progress  on  the  main  high-ways  is  now  simply 
impossible.  They  are  blocked  with  marching  in- 
fantry and  rumbling  artillery  that  is  being  pushed  out 
from  Washington  in  the  attempt  to  relieve  Harper'* 
Ferry.  The  dust  and  heat  are  terrible. 

Bidding  adieu  to  Lammersdorff,  I  mount  my  hofs£, 
and  taking  lanes  and  by-roads,  and  passing  the  white 
tents  of  new  regiments  and  the  brown,  weather-beaten 
ones  of  veterans  still  in  camp,  and  batteries  whose 
guns  are  yet  parked,  I  reach  the  city  that  is  now  not 
only  an  armed  fortress,  but  the  great  gathering-place 
of  all  who  come  to  prey  upon  the  revenues  of  the  na- 
tion in  distress  and  the  troops  engaged  in  its  defence  ; 
from  army  contractors,  who  are  here  to  make  their 
millions  out  of  the  government,  and  g;um>ierx  VVUL 
fleece  high-olav  officers,  to  couitesans  who  prey  upon 
the  boys  in  blue  after  the  paymaslei  hag  made  his 
rounds — the  Washington  of  the  war. 

Evidences  of  this  are  on  every  side  of  me,  as  I  edge 

v  t        pa<8»   ?  **»IP--»TT .*«•'<  M  inarching  infantry. 


6^  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

the  dust  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  whose  sidewalks 
are  crowded  by  the  conglomerate  throng  of  an  i86a 
evening. 

Women  of  the  town,  in  gay  dresses,  are  trying 
their  allurements,  jostling  and  jesting  with  the  rank 
and  file  of  the  army.  Staff,  general  and  mounted 
line  officers  are  galloping  about.  Civilians  in  plain 
clothes  are  everywhere  mixed  with  army  blue.  The 
big  gambling-houses  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  are 
lighting  up  for  their  night's  work  with  high  rolling 
officers,  who  will  risk  and  lose  their  money  this 
evening  as  recklessly  as  they  will  risk  and  lose  their 
lives  a  week  from  now  at  bloody  South  Mountain  and 
deadly  Antietam.  Yet,  over,  all  hangs  a  certain  indis- 
cribable  air  of  anxiety  and  excitement — Lee  is  in  Mary- 
land. 

Forcing  my  way  through  this  concourse,  I  finally 
reach  army  headquarters  to  report  myself  and  the 
capture  of  my  troop. 

Two  hours  afterwards,  as  I  sit  in  Williard's  smok- 
ing my  after-dinner  cigar  and  listening  with  one  ear  to 
a  Jacobin  Senator  attacking  Lincoln  for  not  emancipat- 
ing the  slaves  off-hand  and  putting  Fremont  at  the  head 
of  the  army,  and  with  the  other  ear  being  edified  by 
an  Illinois  army-contractor,  who  is  busily  engaged  in 
obtaining  the  help  of  a  Western  Congressman  for  his 
schemes,  I  am  hastily  summoned  by  an  orderly  to  the 
War  Department. 

It  is  dark  when  I  arrive  at  the  old-fashioned  brick 
building.  On  hearing  my  name  the  officer  in  waiting 
tells  me  that  the  Secretary  will  see  me  shortly. 

Amid  hurrying  officers  and  busy  heads  of  depart- 
ments, surrounded  by  the  semi-panic  of  rebel  invasion, 
in  the  midst  of  the  mighty  military  preparations  of  the 
nation  in  its  death-grapple,  Edwin  McMasters  Stanton 
seems  to  be  able  to  devote  two  minutes  to  me  ! 

A  few  moments  after,  in  his  private  office,  he  asks 
anxiously  what  I  know  of  Lee's  force  and  Jackson's 
movements,  and  listens  eagerly,  but  irritably,  to  my 
account  of  my  capture,  and  the  information  I  give  him 
in  regard  to  the  Confederate  occupation  of  Frederick. 
As  I  look  at  the  scowling  brow,  implacable  counten- 
ance, and  irascible  figure  of  the  head  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, I  do  not  deem  it  wise  to  tell  him  of  the  information 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  65 

the  Confederate  strategist  gained  from  my  careless 
answer  to  his  astute  question. 

"  If  Jackson  attacks  Harper's  Ferry,  he  will  probably 
get  it :  he  gets  most  everything  !  "  mutters  the  Secre- 
tary glumly.  "  God  !  Wouldn't  I  like  to  have  him  on 
the  Union  side  !  "  And  he  goes  into  a  moody  medita- 
tion, stroking  his  long  beard  reflectively. 

This  I  dare  to  interrupt  by  suggesting  :  "What  is  to 
be  done  with  me  until  I  am  exchanged  ? "  For  I  don't 
care  much  to  be  sent  out  on  the  plains  to  fight  Indians, 
or  to  the  northern  frontier  to  police  it — a  disposition 
that  was  made  at  that  time  of  quite  a  number  of  Union 
troops  under  parole. 

' '  You  ? "  remarks  the  Secretary,  his  deep  eyes  looking 
at  me  contemplatively  through  his  glasses.  "You?" 
Then  he  suddenly  takes  me  off  my  feet.  He  says 
rapidly  :  "There  was  a  girl  you  captured  at  Norton's 
Ford,  who  was  brought  into  Frederick  and  stayed  at 
the  same  hotel  as  you  did." 

"There  was,"  I  answer,  wondering  where  he  got  all 
this  information  :  though  Baker's  spies  are  thick  as 
blackberries  this  September  in  Maryland. 

"Well,  you — you  had  a  little  flirtation  with  her, 
I  am  informed.  Find  her  out  and  make  love  to 
her. " 

Here  I  sweep  him  off  his  feet ! 

"Impossible  !  "  I  reply.  "She  has  been  sent  South 
under  guard,  suspected  as  being  a  Union  Spy." 

"Can  I  have  been  mistaken  ?"  mutters  the  Secretary. 
Then  he  suddenly  says  :  "If  you  see  her  in  Washing- 
ton, make  love  to  her  and" — his  eyes  light  up  with  the 
fire  of  a  Vidocq — "tell  me  all  about  her — /  want 
her  !  " 

Fortunately,  I  get  out  of  his  presence  without  his 
seeing  my  face.  In  front  of  the  dimly-lighted  War 
Department,  I  look  up  at  a  shadow  in  the  Secretary's 
private  office — I  think  of  her  sweet  face  and  of  his 
police-magistrate,  detective,  cold,  merciless  eyes. 

"  My  God  !  He  thinks  her  a  Rebel  spy  !  "  I  mutter 
astounded.  "This  I  know  to  be  false!"  Then  I 
add  savagely:  "Damn  you.  You  shall  never  have 
her ! " 

But  turning  away,  I  jeer  myself  bitterly  :  "Nincom- 
poop 1  What  strange  thing  has  come  into  your  heart 


66  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

that  you,  a  Union  officer,  will  risk  life  itself — ay,  pei* 
haps  even  honor — to  save  some  Confederate  trooper's 
sweetheart  from  Mr.  Secretary  Stsnton  of  the  United 
States  War  Department? 


BOOK  If. 
THE  PROVOST  MARSHAL  AT  BALTIMORE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MAJOR   ANANIAS   OF   STUART'S   CAVALRY. 

WILLARD'S  HOTEL  being  at  this  time  intensely  noisy, 
excessively  crowded  and  decidedly  expensive,  I  move 
to  the  quieter  quarters  of  an  F  Street  boarding-house 
and  remain  in  Washington  under  waiting  orders,  kill- 
ing time. 

This  is  not  difficult  to  do  ;  the  excitement  would  kill 
almost  anything — even  time.  The  general  anxiety  of 
everyone  fills  the  place  with  a  pent-up,  compressed 
and  latent  dread.  Every  word  you  hear  at  Wormley's 
restaurant  or  Willard's  Hotel  is  :  "  Where  is  Lee 
now?"  or  "Has  Jackson  gone  into  Pennsylvania?" 
"  Do  you  think  he'll  get  here  and  capture  us  ?  " 
' '  What  is  McClellan  doing  ?  "  "  Why  hasn't  he  brought 
on  a  battle  ?  " 

The  force  attributed  to  the  Confederates,  makes  me 
jeer.  Once  from  reliable  contrabands  it  is  placed  as 
high  as  250,000  cavalry,  infantry  and  artillery  with  400 
guns,  and  published  as  a/act  by  the  newspapers. 

Again,  it  is  reported  that  Jackson  has  flanked  Mc- 
Clellan and  is  now  in  a  direct  march  for  Baltimore  and 
about  to  blow  up  the  bridge  over  the  Patapsco.  On 
hearing  this,  one  of  the  few  ultra-bloodthirsty  Jacobin 
senators  summering  in  Washington,  stops  abusing  the 
government  and  is  heard  to  whisper,  with  white  lips  : 

"  My  God  !  What  will  Jackson  do  with  me  if  I  am 
captured?"  and  takes  a  train  for  the  North  within  the 
hour. 

Even  in  the  great  gambling-houses  on  Pennsylvania 

67 


68  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Avenue  at  night,  as  Government  contractors  lay  theif 
money  on  cards,  the  hand  of  the  Rebel  is  felt  hanging 
over  the  "Goddess  of  Chance."  In  Chamberlin's,  one 
evening  when  the  stakes  were  very  high,  it  is  related 
that  a  luckless  gamester,  in  revenge  for  his  losses,  ran 
in  from  the  street,  crying:  "My  God,  gentlemen! 
Save  yourselves  and  your  money  !  Stuart's  Cavalry  is 
raiding  the  town  1 " 

More  curious  to  relate,  in  thirty  seconds  the  great 
establishment  was  nearly  empty,  though  one  cold- 
blooded croupier  coolly  remarked  :  "I  guess  Jeb 
Stuart  and  Stonewall  Jack  won't  git  here  till  after  this 
deal,"  and  raked  in  every  stake  left  by  the  fleeing 
gamesters. 

This  anecdote  is  related  to  me  by  young  Napoleon 
Leonidas  Finnaker,  of  Chicago,  a  clerk  in  Meigs  the 
Quartermaster-General's  office.  Little  Finnaker  oc- 
cupies the  next  room  to  mine  at  my  boarding-house 
on  F  Street. 

In  the  social  republic  of  Mrs.  Lorimer's  dining-table 
I  soon  discover  little  Nap  Finnaker  is  the  most  un- 
blushing braggart  and  most  audacious  liar  I  have  ever 
encountered,  and  that  for  concentrated,  condensed 
cheek  and  assurance  he  can  give  points  to  even  the 
celebrated  Beau  Hickman,  who  is  still  ornamenting 
Pennsylvania  Avenue  with  his  perennial  nosegay  in 
his  buttonhole, 

Being  connected  with  the  Quartermaster-General's 
Department,  little  Napoleon  thinks  it  necessary  he 
should  assume  martial  airs,  and  would  wear  a  uniform 
if  the  regulations  permitted.  In  fact,  he  confidently 
informs  me  that  it  was  to  keep  him  out  of  the  army 
that  he  was  put  in  General  Meigs 's  office. 

"I  would  go  to  the  front,  my  dear  fellah.  Wild 
horses  couldn't  keep  me  from  getting  at  the  Johnnies' 
throats.  The  only  hope  of  my  frightened  mother  was 
a  compromise,  and  so  I  entered  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  department !  "  he  babbles  in  a  voice  deep, 
bass  and  resonant  and  of  such  tremendous  power  that, 
looking  at  his  little  stature  and  slight  physique,  he 
seems  to  be  all  lungs,  wind  and  noise. 

After  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  this  little  swash- 
buckler had  the  audacity  to  bring  himself  in  wounded, 
though  he  had  spent  the  whole  day  in  bed,  timidly 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  69 

listening  for  the  sound  of  the  approaching  Confederate 
cannon. 

"Good  gad,  my  boy!"  he  says  to  me  in  a  roar. 
"We  military  men  look  at  the  present  situation  with 
extreme  concern.  Whenever  /  have  encountered 
'Stonewall'  Jackson,  I  have  found  him  invincible. 
And — damn  it ! — they're  not  going  to  move  the  War 
Department !  Think  of  it !  the  imbeciles  !  We  clerks 
will  be  butchered  to  a  man  1  Stanton  sits  there  grind- 
ing his  teeth  as  if  nothing  was  happening  ;  doesn't  the 
idiot  know  that  they'll  cut  his  throat  ?  Haven't  they 
sworn  vengeance  on  him  and  us  for  Pope's  out- 
rageously bloodthirsty  and  foolish  proclamation  in 
Northern  Virginia  ?  Three  hundred  thousand  Texas 
bowie-knife  cut-throats  in  Maryland !  And  yet,  we 
are  staying  here  to  be  sacrificed !  Four  times  in  the 
last  three  days  have  I  applied  for  leave,  and  it  has 
been  steadily  refused  me.  They  talk  of  organizing 
us  into  a  militia  company  of  home  guards,  for  the 
crisis ! " 

Then  suddenly  he  trembles  and  whispers  in  deep 
voice:  "Good  God  1  What  is  that  horrible  extra? 
Oh,  curse  it !  What  is  McClellan  doing  ?  "  and  wan- 
ders out  into  the  street,  with  pale  face  and  timid  air. 

For  the  newsboys  are  crying  outside  :  "  Lee  in  full 
march  for  Baltimore  !  Maryland  Secesh  have  risen  to 
a  man  1  Rebel  Cavalry  raiding  to  the  gates  of  Harris- 
burg  ! — Panic  in  Philadelphia  ! — Bragg  threatens  Ohio ! 
Business  stopped  in  Cincinnati !  "  and  other  pleasing 
war  rumors  of  that  stirring  time. 

Every  one  is  on/the  alert,  I  among  the  rest.  I  run 
out  into  the  street,  and  try  and  pick  up  news  ;  for  I 
feel  that  on  this  campaign,  probably  within  the  week, 
will  be  settled  the  fate  of  Washington.  However,  I 
note  with  pleasure,  that  the  few  soldiers  left  in  the 
town  are  much  more  confident  of  the  success  of  the 
Union  arms  than  civilians  ;  especially  those  of  the 
troops  who  have  served  under  Little  Mac,  as  they  call 
him,  now  that  he  is  again  in  command. 

So  the  time  flies  on. 

On  the  twelfth  of  September,  it  is  announced  that 
the  advance  division  of  the  Federal  Army  has  reoccu- 
pied  Frederick. 

On  the  thirteenth,  that  Stonewall  Jackson  has  at- 


70  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

tacked  Harper's  Ferry.     Lee  has  probably  fallen  back 
to  protect  his  lieutenant. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth  comes  the 
news  of  the  victory  at  South  Mountain,  and  the  forcing 
of  Turner's  and  Crampton's  gaps  by  the  Union  forces, 
with  most  exaggerated  details  ;  Lee  is  reported 
wounded  and  the  Confederate  loss  seventeen  thousand 
men.  Every  military  eye  is  on  Harper's  Ferry. 

Will  it  hold  out  until  relieved  ?  McClellan  must  be 
very  near  to  it  now  1 

There's  no  more  news  from  the  front — apparently 
the  victory  has  been  over-estimated.  All  we  can  learn 
is  that  every  surgeon,  every  ambulance,  and  enormous 
hospital  stores  have  been  sent  to  Frederick.  This 
indicates  a  heavy  loss  to  our  troops. 

On  the  morning  of  the  sixteenth,  I  am  again  sum- 
moned to  the  War  Department.  Hoping  that  they 
have  found  some  employment  for  me  that  will  not  be 
inconsistent  with  my  parole,  I  hurry  to  the  old- 
fashioned  brick  building.  There  are  now  not  so  many 
officers  about  ;  most  of  them  are  at  the  front  with 
McClellan,  and  every  man  jack  of  them  from  the  As- 
sistant Adjutant  General  to  Madison,  Stanton's  colored 
factotum,  is  suspiciously  quiet  and  anxious. 

•  Is  there  any  news  of  Harper's  Ferry  ?  "  I  ask  one 
of  the  officials  in  waiting. 

"  No,  but  a  courier  must  come  from  McClellan  soon 
to  Frederick.  To  that  point  the  telegraph  line  has  been 
repaired. " 

After  some  half-hour's  waiting,  I  am  ushered  into  the 
Secretary's  private  office  by  black-faced  and  white- 
headed  Madison. 

"He's  powerful  out  of  sorts  this  morning,"  whispers 
the  old  darky.  "Be  careful  and  rub  him  the  right 
way. " 

As  I  enter,  I  feel  a  presentiment  of  evil  come  on  me. 
The  cold  blue  eyes  glare  at  me  through  their  glasses. 
Hardly  recognizing  my  salute,  the  Secretary  begins  : 

"Since  our  reoccupation  of  that  town,  I  have  had 
some  curious  information  from  Frederick.  It  is  re- 
ported to  me  that  immediately  after  your  interview  at 
Jackson's  headquarters  with  that  general,  he  gave  in- 
stant orders  for  his  corps  to  prepare  to  march.  You 
will  state  immediately  to  me  what  were  the  exact 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  ft 

questions  he  put  to  you  and  your  answers  to  that  Rebel 
lynx." 

After  a  moment's  pause  of  consideration,  I  answer 
this  question  truthfully  and  exactly. 

As  I  give  the  two  questions  of  the  Confederate 
general  and  my  careless  reply  to  the  last  one,  the 
Secretary  starts  up  from  his  desk,  and  standing  in 
front  of  me,  breaks  out  viciously  in  low,  clear-cut,  in- 
cisive, yet  measured  tones  : 

"A.r\djyou,  by  your  imbecile  answer,  told  him  that 
no  trains  had  gone  over  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  ! 
Then,  of  course,  no  reinforcements  went  into  Harper's 
Ferry.  Oh  !  you're  a  beauty  to  let  the  cat  out  of  the 
bag  !  Curse  it,  sir,  couldn't  your  little  brain  guess  that 
that  Rebel  watch-dog  knew  that  with  no  reinforcements 
he  could  probably  capture  the  place,  commanded  as 
it  is,  by  a  septuagenarian  officer  ?  " 

And  pushing  his  eyeglasses  upon  his  forehead  he 
glares  at  me  and  goes  shuffling  vindictively  about  the 
7oom. 

Before  I  can  answer  this  invective  from  my  superior 
officer,  to  which  I  have  listened  respectfully,  fighting 
down  indignant  words  upon  my  lips,  the  door  is  opened 
and  old  Madison  makes  his  appearance,  ushering  in 
Colonel  Hardie. 

"  What  the  devil,  you  infernal  nigger,  are  you  com- 
ing in  here  for,  sir  ?  How  dare  you  break  into  a  pri- 
vate interview  of  mine  ?  "  splutters  the  head  of  the 
United  States  dogs  of  war. 

"You  will  pardon  this  intrusion,  Mr.  Secretary,"  in- 
terjects the  colonel  hurriedly.  "  This  telegram  could 
not  wait.  It  is  from  the  front." 

Pulling  his  eyeglasses  down  on  his  nose  again,  Stan- 
ton  reads  the  dispatch.  As  he  does  so,  he  looks  up 
from  it  at  me,  and  his  face  horrifies  me. 

It  is  the  incarnation  of  the  hate  of  the  war. 

"By  Heaven!"  he  mutters,  "Harper's  Ferry  has 
surrendered  and  fallen  with  eleven  thousand  men. 
McClellan  too  late  ;  Jackson  too  quick  !  It's  always  so 
with  these  Democratic  generals  and  Border-State  offi- 
cers !  "  and  he  glares  at  me. 

Then  he  snarls  :  "  It's  to  this  young  man,  perhaps,  I 
owe  this  dispatch.  Get  out  of  my  presence  !  Go  to 
the  devill"  he  thunders.  "You'll  hear  from  me  I 


72  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

You  shall  remember  Harper's  Ferry  longer  than  I  will 
Don't  forget  that,  my  Maryland  recruit !  " 

As  I  leave  the  apartment,  I  hear  him  saying,  his 
voice  low,  his  diction  clear-cut  as  if  quoted  from  the 
book  of  fate  :  "By  the  Eternal  1  Give  them  as  many 
victories  as  they  like,  but  I'll  grind  these  Southern 
cavaliers  out  under  the  heel  of  Northern  infantry  be- 
fore I  get  through  with  them,  if  it  takes  a  year !  if  it 
takes  two  ;  if  it  takes  ten!  So  long  as  I  live,  I'll  pound 
away  at  Jeff  Davis  and  his  Rebel  crew  !  " 

Two  hours  afterward,  I  am  directed  to  proceed  to 
Baltimore  and  remain  on  waiting  orders.  I  am  very 
glad  to  get  away  from  an  official  whose  ill-will  I  know 
I  have,  and  one  who  can  certainly  prevent  my  advance- 
ment. 

While  in  Baltimore  on  waiting  orders,  I  am  not  com- 
pelled to  wear  my  uniform.  I  can  again  associate  with 
my  old-time  boyhood  comrades  and  renew  the  friend- 
ships of  my  early  youth.  I  can  again  receive  my  dear 
sister's  caresses  ;  I  can  once  more  embrace  my  father 
that  I  revere  and  honor,  despite  the  difference  of  our 
political  opinions,  if  they  have  not  heard  I  wear  the 
blue. 

A  visit  to  our  Charles  Street  residence  soon  shows 
me  they  have  not.  I  steal  a  few  more  kisses  from  my 
loved  ones  under  their  misunderstanding  that  I  wear 
the  gray.  My  father's  and  sisters'  astonishment  at 
seeing  me  is  only  exceeded  by  their  joy  that  I  have  not 
fallen  in  the  carnage  of  the  recent  battles. 

To  their  eager  inquiries,  I  answer  in  a  shamefaced 
way,  that  I  have  been  captured  near  Frederick  when 
detailed  on  a  scouting  party,  and  having  been  paroled 
until  exchanged,  I  have  naturally  come  home  to  live 
until  by  cartel  I  am  freed  from  my  obligation  not  to 
take  up  arms. 

"  Taken  near  Frederick?  "  mutters  my  father.  "It 
is  curious  that  the  Yankee  papers  did  not  mention  it  ; 
they  generally  magnify  their  slight  successes,  instead 
of  concealing  them.  And  paroled  ?  That  is  a  rather 
unusual  complaisance  to  a  Confederate  prisoner  from 
Union  authorities." 

"Well,  I've  my  orders  from  Stanton  himself,"  I  say, 
growing  more  confident,  "to  live  in  Baltimore  until 
further  directions. " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  73 

What  my  governor's  reply  would  have  been  I  know 
not ;  for  Birdie  here  breaks  in  enthusiastically:  "Cap- 
tured near  Frederick?  Billy,  you  must  have  been  with 
Jackson  1  " 

"I  was  1 "  I  answer,  the  confidence  of  the  liar  grow- 
ing in  me.  "I  saw  'Stonewall'  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  fifth.  I  was  at  his  headquarters  with  Thornton,  of 
the  First  Virginia  Cavalry." 

"And  soon  after  you  were  captured,  my  poor 
brother?  "  interjects  Virgie  with  a  kiss. 

"Yes  !  In  the  Federal  lines  the  next  day  by  noon  !  " 
I  reply,  staving  off  further  inquiry  by  caresses.  To 
these  they  all  respond  ;  even  my  old  regime  father  un- 
bending and  telling  me  with  tears  in  his  eyes  that  their 
anxiety  has  been  awful,  ever  since  the  second  Battle  of 
Manassas. 

"We  could  get  no  accounts  of  the  Southern  killed 
and  wounded.  You  don't  guess  the  anxiety  of  those 
who  wait  here  to  learn  of  their  loved  ones  in  the  Con- 
federate ranks,"  he  remarks.  "There's  Mrs.  Bouvier 
has  an  only  son  in  the  Maryland  Line.  William,  if 
you've  any  tidings  of  Arthur  Bouvier — a  lieutenant 
in  Brockenbrough's  Battery — you  must  go  at  once 
and  give  them  to  his  mother.  She's  a  widow  now. 
You  remember  little  Arthur?  you  used  to  play  with 
him ! " 

"Yes,  of  course,"  I  answer  uneasily,  "but  I  did  not 
see  him.  He  must  have  been  in  Longstreet's  corps." 

"And  then,  perhaps,  you  met  Charley  St.  George; 
you  remember  Eva's  half-brother,  he's  so  handsome 
— in  Mumford's  Second  Virginia?"  asks  Birdie,  with 
very  eager  eyes. 

"  No  I  I  met  Stuart  and  saw  Brien  of  the  First  Cav- 
alry, and  Thornton  and  Ruff  Crockett  of  the  Tennessee 
Infantry.  But  when  a  man's  fighting  and  riding,  and 
fighting  again,  social  duties  take  the  rear  rank  de- 
cidedly I "  I  answer. 

' '  Then  you  didn't  see  Eva  ?  "  murmurs  Birdie,  disap* 
pointedly. 

"  See  her  ?  Of  course  not !  "  is  my  unabashed  reply. 
"  I  had  something  more  to  do  in  Viriginia  than  to  look 
up  girls — even  my  fiance'e."  I  wince  at  the  term,  how- 
ever, as  I  utter  it,  for  I  am  thinking  of  the  beautiful 
creature  who  stood  beside  me  the  only  few  minutes  I 


74  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

spent  in  Virginia  while  Stonewall  Jackson's  men  crossed 
the  Potomac. 

"And  the  gray  uniform  we  made  for  you?  "  whispers 
my  elder  sister.  "  We  had  rather  speculated  how  Miss 
Ashley  would  admire  you  in  it." 

"The  gray  uniform  is  a  thing  of  the  past,"  I  laugh. 
"  You  should  have  seen  what  was  left  of  it  after  Cedar 
Mountain,  Second  Manassas  and  Ox  Hill.  I  believe  by 
that  time  I  was  as  dirty  and  as  ragged  as  any  trooper 
in  Stuart's." 

Great  powers,  how  I  am  lying  ;  but  mendacity  once 
begun  must  be  carried  to  the  end.  I  have  spoken  of 
battles  ;  mention  compels  description.  My  father  and 
my  sisters  gather  round  me  closer  and  listen  to  the  vet- 
eran Confederate.  Their  eager  anxiety  as  to  my  per* 
sonal  adventures  has  to  be  satisfied. 

Fortunately,  I  have  seen  enough  stricken  fields,  and 
a  battle  in  Virginia  can't  be  very  different  from  a  com- 
bat in  Tennessee. 

I  give  my  loved  ones  details  of  Jackson's  defence 
of  the  railroad  embankment  at  Pope's  big  defeat.  I 
ride  with  Stuart  on  the  foray  when  we  capture  Cat- 
lett's  station.  With  him  I  raid  the  great  Federal 
Commissary  stores  at  Manassas  Junction,  and  grow- 
ing vivid  I  tell  how,  after  living  on  corn  in  the  ear 
for  a  week,  we  knock  off  the  heads  of  champagne 
bottles  and  drink  the  vintages  of  France  and  feast  on 
canned  chicken  and  lobster -salad,  and  condensed  plum 
pudding,  our  meal  lighted  by  the  blaze  of  five  million 
dollars  worth  of  Union  stores  for  Pope's  hungry  army. 

Then  both  papa  and  sisters  show  their  love  for  me 
by  asking  more  questions,  and  Major  Ananias,  of 
Stuart's  Cavalry  Division,  at  last  finds  himself  located 
definitely  as  an  officer  of  the  Jeff  Davis'  Legion,  an  in- 
timate of  Fitz  Lee's  and  on  speaking  terms  with  Rosser, 
Robinson  and  even  Jackson. 

As  I  think  over  the  matter  afterwards,  the  only  apol- 
ogy I  can  make  for  myself,  is  that  if  I  told  the  truth,  I 
lost  the  love  of  my  dear  ones,  and  that  one  lie  leads  to 
another,  the  very  nature  of  my  description  requiring  the 
endorsement  of  detail  vivid  and  exciting  as  the  scenes 
I  described. 

"I'll  keep  their  love  and  their  kisses  as  long  as  I 
can,"  I  think  desperately.  "  They'll  hate  and  despise 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  75 

me  so  much  after  they  know  ;  a  little  more  delusion 
and  exaggeration  won't  add  to  it — all  but  Birdie  1 " 

Of  my  younger  sister  I  have  a  little  hope — she  is  so 
sweet,  so  amiable,  so  affectionate  to  me  always — she 
will  not  hate  her  brother  forever,  even  if  he  is  a  Union 
officer. 

Perhaps  my  answers  might  receive  more  critical  an- 
alysis were  they  all  not  so  glad  to  see  me  safe  and  un- 
wounded,  and  were  not  the  anxieties  of  the  present  so 
great  that  the  events  of  to-day  engross  them  more  than 
the  happenings  of  yesterday — for  as  yet  the  news  of 
Antietam  has  not  arrived. 

In  fact,  even  as  I,  in  our  quiet  family  home  on 
Charles  Street,  Baltimore,  am  conversing  with  my 
family,  the  veterans  of  McClellan  and  Lee,  at  Sharps- 
burg,  not  a  hundred  miles  away,  are  slaughtering  each 
other  on  that  desperate  and  bloody  field  which  decided 
the  fate  of  Maryland. 

But  no  news  comes  to  us  this  day ;  the  streets  of  the 
town  are  full  of  people  desperately  anxious  as  to  the 
result  of  a  campaign,  which  means  so  much  for  the 
city,  many  of  its  citzens  of  large  property,  yet  Southern 
sympathies,  apparently  dreading  the  approach  of  Lee's 
army  victorious  and  triumphant  more  even  than  his  de- 
feat. This  curious  state  of  feeling  is  explained  to  me 
at  the  Maryland  Club. 

"  Don't  you  know,"  whispers  George  Ransome  to  me, 
"the  Federal  authorities  have  made  little  preparations 
to  defend  this  town  from  Lee  ;  but  ample  for  its  de- 
struction in  case  the  Confederates  occupy  it.  They've 
six  mortar  boats  in  the  river  under  Porter,  and  with 
bombs  from  them  falling  in  the  streets  and  the  fire  of 
the  forts,  this  place  will  be  a  living  hell — and  then  our 
mothers,  wives  and  women  folk." 

The  genial  club  man's  face  grows  white  and  long  as 
he  thinks  of  his  handsome  young  wife  and  two  pretty 
children.  Many  talk  of  flying  on  the  approach  of  the 
army  they  hope  with  all  their  souls  will  succeed  and 
conquer. 

But  my  father  is  made  of  sterner  stuff — on  my  sug- 
gestion that  he  go  to  New  York  himself,  or  at  least  send 
Virgie  and  Birdie  there,  till  the  danger's  is  over,  I  am 
met  with  stern  rebuke  ;  not  only  from  him  but  from 
my  sisters. 


76  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"For  shame,  William  !  "  they  cry.  "  Fly  from  the 
army  we  love  ?  Avoid  Lee  and  Jackson  when  they  come 
to  free  us  ?  " 

"You've  never  seen  a  bombardment,"  I  dissent  ; 
"  you  don't  know  what  it's  like  and  I  pray  God  you 
never  will." 

But  the  next  day,  the  news  comes  of  Antietam. 
McClellari  has  saved  Maryland  to  the  Union  ;  Lee, 
baffled  and  brought  to  bay,  two  days  after  gets  back 
into  Virginia  as  best  he  can. 

Heavens  I  how  I  have  to  struggle  to  conceal  the 
triumph  in  my  face  from  my  two  pretty  sisters,  who 
go  about  with  sad,  even  teary  eyes,  from  my  father, 
whose  countenance  is  as  long  as  Job's  tribulations. 
It  is  more  difficult  to  lie  with  the  phiz  than  with  the 
tongue. 

"  You — you  don't  seem  downhearted,  Billy — even 
now  ! "  whispers  Birdie. 

"  Oh,  Lee'll  be  back  again  1 "  I  contrive  to  utter. 

"  Yes,  the  Southern  boys'll  never  give  up.  They'll 
never  leave  us  under  the  heel  of  our  oppressors  ! " 
ejaculates  Virginia  confidently  and  defiantly.  Then 
womanhood  coming  up  in  her,  she  murmurs — "  But 
how  many  of  them  have  died  here  for  us  already." 

But,  curiously  enough,  the  excitement  of  Antietam 
is  soon  over.  Accustomed  by  two  years  of  war  to  its 
varying  chances,  Baltimore  to  my  astonishment  grows 
gay  in  a  social  sense.  I  accompany  my  sisters  to  re- 
ceptions and  dances,  and  renew  many  old  acquaint- 
ances with  the  jeunesse  dorte  of  my  native  city,  both 
male  and  female. 

The  gentlemen  look  at  me  with  kindly  eyes — I  have 
battled  in  a  gray  uniform — and  am  even  now  a  Federal 
prisoner. 

The  young  ladies  are  inclined  to  make  a  hero  of  me  ; 
I  have  ridden  with  Stuart  and  Fitz  Lee  ;  for  my  sisters 
have  girl's  tongues,  and  every  one  hears  of  their  dear 
brother  who  marched  with  the  Confederates  into  Mary- 
land and  fought  so  gallantly  under  Jackson,  though  he 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  odious  Yankees. 

I  am  quite  the  rage  at  receptions  and  dances  ; 
and  many  a  Baltimore  civilian  and  club  man  has 
ground  his  teeth  as  I  have  led  out  his  sweetheart 
for  the  german,  or  carried  his  beloved  off  for  soft  con- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  77 

servatory  flirtation  under  his  jealous  eyes.  My  martial 
air  is  effective,  the  scar  of  my  sabre  wound  most 
subtly  potent  with  the  female  heart — for  I  have  re- 
ceived it  in  the  cause  they  love.  Had  it  been  acquired 
under  the  "Stars  and  Stripes,"  the  wound  for  which 
they  adore  me  would  be  only  a  badge  of  infamy  in 
their  bright  Southern  eyes. 

The  war  has  drifted  back  to  Virginia.  In  the  arms  of 
my  dear  ones,  the  delights  of  peace  seem  near  to  me. 

So,  blessed  by  my  father,  loved,  petted  and  caressed 
by  my  sisters,  and  flattered  by  the  society  of  the  Monu- 
mental City  generally,  I  pass  my  time  in  a  fool's 
paradise — almost  forgetting  that  I  have  eaten  the 
Northern  Union  apple  and  must  some  day  be  discov- 
ered and  expelled  from  my  present  Southern  Eden. 

The  day  of  my  exodus  comes  sooner  than  I  expect—- 
and as,  in  the  case  of  Adam — by  means  of  a  serpent 

From  my  social  day-dream  I  awake  with  a  start 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A   BLOW   IN   THE    DARK. 

I  HAVE  accompanied  my  sisters  to  a  dance  given  by 
Mrs.  Coleman.  In  the  carnage  going  to  ihef&e  we 
have  all  been  very  merry  ;  Birdie  remarking  roguishly  : 
"You  must  be  very  careful  this  evening,  Cyril,  or  I 
shall  surely  write  and  tell  tales  of  you  to  Eva  Ashley. 
Your  conduct  the  other  evening  with  Lulu  Davant  was 
outrageous." 

"  Indeed  !  What  was  my  offence  ? "  I  return,  strok- 
ing my  moustache  contemplatively,  though  I  know 
very  well  to  what  she  refers,  for  in  the  bright  smiles  of 
one  of  Baltimore's  fairest — and  my  native  city  has  many 
who  are  fairest — I  have  been  trying  to  forget  the  charm- 
ing maid  in  gray-riding-habit  who  still  seems  to  haunt 
me. 

"What  was  your  offence?"  remarks  Virginia  in 
stately  tones.  ' '  Only  this — paying  too  great  attention 
to  one  young  lady  when  you're  engaged  to  another. 
Now,  William,  I  know  the  girls  here  make  much  of 
you — too  much," 


71  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"But  then  they  know  you're  a  gallant  Confederate 
cavalry-man  and  can't  help  it, "  interjects  Birdie  get- 
ting my  hand  in  hers. 

"Still,  as  a  man  of  honor,  my  brother,"  continues 
my  elder  sister,  "you  must  remember  you  are  bound 
to  another." 

"  Yes,  a  young  lady  I'm  to  marry  as  soon  as  the 
Yanks  have  fled  to  Canada,"  I  mutter  savagely,  Virgie's 
criticism  not  being  very  much  to  my  liking,  as  Lulu 
Davant  has  as  pretty  blue  eyes,  as  lovely  a  figure,  and 
as  plumply  rounded  white  shoulders  as  you'll  see  in  a 
ball-room,  and  waltzes  like  Terpsichore  herself. 

"  You'd  not  sneer  in  that  way,  my  brother,"  answers 
Virginia,  "if  you  saw  the  beauty  of  the  girl  to  whom 
you're  engaged  ;  if  you  knew  her  exalted  mind,  her 
exquisite  womanhood." 

"  Pooh  !  That  Davant  girl  is  no  more  to  be  compared 
to  Eva  Ashley  than  a  Union  cavalry  captain  to  you, 
Billy,"  babbles  Birdie  airily. 

"  Well,  I'll  try  and  be  more  circumspect,"  I  mutter, 
wincing  at  the  shot  my  dear  little  sister  has  unwittingly 
given  me. 

A  couple  of  minutes  later  we  are  in  hospitable  Mrs. 
Coleman's  parlors  which  are  thronged  with  the  best 
society  of  Baltimore,  the  ladies'  white  arms  and  gleam- 
ing shoulders,  being  set  off  by  exquisite  ball  gowns,  the 
gentlemen  all  in  the  plain  black  and  white  of  evening 
attire  de  rigueur,  for  no  blue  uniforms  ever  find  their 
way  into  the  haul  monde  of  Maryland  at  this  epoch. 

A  little  orchestra  is  playing  merrily. 

As  I  enter  I  note  we  apparently  create  a  sensation  ; 
several  near-by  couples  stop  dancing  and  gaze  at  me  ; 
a  peculiar  and  by  no  means  cordial  expression  on  their 
countenances,  especially  those  of  the  ladies. 

But  I  hardly  appreciate  this  ;  I  am  a  favorite  with 
most  of  the  girls,  anyway,  and  my  eye  is  upon  Lulu 
Davant  as  the  pretty  little  chick  sits  in  a  far-away 
corner — waiting  for  me,  I  fondly  think. 

We  approach  our  hostess. 

Mrs.  Coleman,  though  she  has  a  surprised  look  on 
her  face,  greets  my  sisters  kindly  though  in  a  curiously 
sympathetic  manner  ;  to  me  she  gives  a  cold  haughty 
courtesy  then  turns  to  other  guests. 

Doing  the  old  rtgime  act  I  think  placidly  as  I  look 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  79 

at  the  dowager.  But  having  made  my  duty  bow  I 
pass  on,  too  eager  for  Miss  Lulu's  smile  to  pay  par- 
ticular attention  to  any  one  else  in  the  room. 

A  moment  later,  I  am  before  this  young  lady  who 
had  listened  to  my  honeyed  words  for  a  too  short  hour 
in  Mrs.  Gill's  conservatory  but  the  day  before  and 
seemed  to  think  them  very  pleasant — to  receive  a 
shock. 

"  Miss  Lulu,"  I  say,  bending  over  the  fair  girl  whose 
eyes  turn  away  from  mine,  "you  remember  your 
promise  of  yesterday  evening." 

But  the  eyes — the  blue  eyes  that  had  looked  into 
mine  so  languishingly  scarce  a  day  ago — now  gaze  at 
me,  cold  as  a  Greenland  iceberg.  Then  shuddering 
slightly  Miss  Davant  turns  to  a  near-by  gentleman 
and  murmurs  :  "Mr.  Key,  this  is  our  dance,  I  believe. 
Supposing  we  begin  now  ;  the  room  is  a  little  cold." 

"Oh,  dash  it,"  I  think  glumly,  "some  one's  been 
telling  the  fair  Lulu  of  my  Virginia  engagement.  Hang 
it,  if  she  can  be  rudely  indifferent  so  can  I — till  I  bring 
her  to  her  senses.  Ah,  here's  Miss  Madeline  Reeves, 
she's  pretty  enough  to  make  any  other  girl  jealous." 

With  this,  I  step  to  the  piquant  Miss  Maddie,  a 
brunette  who  has  been  quite  partial  to  me  ever  since 
she  was  a  dainty,  sixteen-year-old  lassie,  and  suggest 
the  honor  of  a  dance. 

But  if  the  blonde  Lulu  Davant  has  been  icily  indif- 
ferent, the  brunette  Maddie  Reeves  simply  appears  to 
loathe  me.  That's  the  only  word  that  can  express  the 
shudder  in  her  exquisite  form,  the  shrinking  from  me 
as  if  I  were  a  viper,  as  she  draws  herself  up  and  re- 
marks to  a  passing  beau:  "Mr.  Jervaise,  would  you 
take  pity  on  me  and  take  me  away.  I  don't  like  slimy 
things." 

After  one  short  stare  of  astonishment,  I  have  a  pretty 
strong  suspicion  of  what  is  the  cause  of  my  tribulation. 
I  hear  a  maid  who  within  the  week  has  been  cordiality 
itself  to  me  whisper  to  her  escort  something  about 
renegade  and  Yankee  spy,  as  she  cuts  me  dead. 

A  very  little  of  this  sort  of  thing  goes  a  good  way 
with  me  ;  the  gentlemen's  glances  I  return,  scorn  for 
scorn,  glare  for  glare  ;  but  the  ladies — the  bright  eyes 
that  have  looked  so  caressingly  on  the  cavalryman  of 
Stuart's,  they  stab  me  to  my  youthful  heart 


80  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

Not  wishing  to  spoil  my  sisters'  evening,  I  edge  my 
way  to  Virginia.  I  have  little  trouble  in  doing  this, 
though  the  room  is  crowded ;  for  the  fair  demoiselles 
clear  the  way  for  me,  drawing  their  crinolined  jupes 
aside  for  my  passage  very  much  as  if  I  were  a  rattle- 
snake crawling  amid  their  dainty  slippers  and  pretty 
ankles. 

At  my  sister's  side,  I  whisper  to  Virginia,  who  is  in 
conversation  with  young  Mr.  Darrell  and  apparently 
has  no  idea  there  is  anything  the  matter — "In  case  I 
should  wander  off,  could  you  find  somebody  to  take 
you  and  Birdie  home  ?  " 

Virgie  looks  at  the  young  and  handsome  Mr.  Darrell 
and  thinks  she  could. 

"Then  make  my  excuses  to  Mrs.  Coleman,"  I  sug- 
gest. 

"  You  are  not  well,  Billy  ?  "  asks  my  sister  anxiously. 

"Quite  up  to  anything,"  I  remark.  But  I  want  to 
behave  myself  very  well  and  Lulu  Davant  looks  very, 
very  pretty  this  evening. " 

With  this  ambiguous  excuse,  I  turn  and  pass  out  of 
the  salle  de  danse,  followed  by  vicious  glances  from 
those  of  the  ladies  who  look  upon  my  exit. 

I've  about  made  up  my  mind  what  the  trouble  must 
be.  In  the  dressing-room  I  get  not  only  evidence  of 
what  it  is,  but  also  of  what  has  produced  it. 

Young  Darrell,  a  high-spirited,  kind-hearted  young 
gentleman  and  great  friend  and  admirer  of  my  elder 
sister,  has  hastily  followed  me. 

He  had  returned  my  bow  as  I  had  addressed  Virginia, 
but  coldly;  he  now  comes  up  to  me  and  mutters: 
"  For  God's  sake,  Bill,  give  me  your  authority.  Let  me 
go  down  and  tell  them  all  that  this  is  a  lie  from  Hell." 

He  thrusts  a  Baltimore  evening  paper  into  my  hand. 
His  finger  is  on  the  paragraph.  Reading  it,  I  know 
how  I've  been  struck  and  who  has  struck  me. 

"It's  all  true  as  Heaven  !  "     I  answer. 

"Good  God!  You  came  here  to  play  the  spy," 
mutters  Darrell,  his  face  turning  white  as  he  thinks  of 
the  treason  he  and  his  friends  have  spoken  to  me  when 
they  thought  me  a  Confederate  officer. 

"  No  spy  !  "  I  answer  sternly.  "  I — I  concealed  my 
rank  in  the  Union  army  when  I  came  here,  so  as  to 
get  a  few  more  kind  words  from  my  dear  old  father,  a 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  8 1 

few  more  sweet  kisses  from  my  beloved  sisters.  But 
now — "  I  look  at  the  paper  and  falter:  "These  are 
lost  to  me  forever.  Believe  me,"  I  add,  "no  treason 
spoken  to  me  when  I  was  thought  an  officer  of  Stuart's 
will  cost  any  man  or  woman  anything."  I  offer  him 
my  hand. 

But  young  Darrell  mutters:  "I  pity  you,  as  I  do 
any  one  who  loses  friends  and  kindred,  but  I  pity  more 
your  poor  father  and  sisters,"  and  does  not  see  my 
hand. 

Thornton  of  the  Virginia  cavalry,  Ruff  Crockett  of 
the  Tennessee  infantry,  had  given  me  the  greeting  of 
man  to  man,  though  they  wore  the  gray  and  I  the 
blue ;  but  this  young  dandy  who  had  never  raised 
sword  or  pulled  trigger  draws  himself  away.  Oh, 
the  awful  vindictive  hate  of  the  non-combatants  in 
those  war  days  ! 

But  here  is  something  tangible  that  I  can  meet,  and 
fortunately  from  a  man. 

"Mr.  Darrell,"  I  remark,  "if  you  think  because  . 
am  a  Union  officer,  my  hand  is  not  worthy  your  notice, 
I  can  draw  it  across  your  face.  That'll  at  least  make 
you  see  it." 

But  he  mutters:  "My  God!  I— I  can't  fight  you! 
I — I  am  engaged  to  marry  your  sister.  Virginia  has 
just  honored  me  by  accepting  my  love.  When  I  heard 
the  rumor  of  this,  I  felt  I  must  speak  to  your  sister  at 
once  so  I  could  be  enabled  to  stand  by  her  thoroughly 
in  this  misfortune." 

"Very  well,"  I  say  sarcastically,  as  he  turns  away. 
"Take  my  sister's  hand  instead  of  mine,  Mr.  Darrell. 
It's  much  prettier,  softer  and  more  Southern." 

But  with  this  jeer  on  my  lips  I  know  Darrell  is  right 
as  to  my  losing  friends  and  kindred.  As  I  read  the 
paragraph  I  am  sure  it  has  cost  me  that. 

Curiously  enough,  the  article  is  very  complimentary, 
the  newspaper  printing  it  being  a  Union  one  and 
strongly  supporting  the  Government. 

It  reads  : 

"  We  are  happy  to  announce  the  appointment  of  Captain  William 
Fairfax  Hamilton  of  the  ist  Kentucky  Union  Cavalry  as  Special 
Provost  Marshal  of  Maryland. 

This  appointment  was  made  under  the  instructions  of  Secretary 
Stanton  himself,  to  ^eward  Captain  Hamilton  for  distinguish*** 


S2  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

gallantry  at  Forts  Donaldson  and  Henry  and  the  Battle  of  Shiloh 
in  Tennessee,  when  the  rebels  threw  up  their  hands. 

Captain  Hamilton  was  unfortunately  captured  by  Jackson  during 
that  Rebel  general's  recent  raid  into  Maryland  and  being  under 
parole  is  consequently  not  able  to  engage  in  active  service  until  ex- 
changed, though  eligible  for  the  office  of  Provost  Marshal,  in  which 
he  can.  make  copperheads  and  secession  sympathizers  walk  very 
straight  in  his  native  city  of  Baltimore.  For  the  gallant  captain 
is  the  son  of  our  well-known  capitalist,  Carroll  Lamar  Hamilton  of 
Charles  Street,  and  as  such  a  shining  proof  to  \h&  jeunesse dorte  vi 
Baltimore  that  all  of  them  are  not  out  and  out  Rebels  nor  secret 
aiders  nor  abettors  of  Jeff.  Davis  and  his  Richmond  traitors." 

Following  this  is  the  official  order  of  the  day : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  MARYLAND, 

"Baltimore,  Oct.  I4th,  1862. 
"  General  Orders  No.  34. 

"  Captain  W.  F.  Hamilton,  ist  Kentucky  Cavalry,  in  compliance 
with  the  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  is  hereby  appointed  Special 
Provost  Marshal  of  the  Department  of  Maryland  and  assigned  to 
duty  at  this  headquarters. 

"  He  will  be  obeyed  and  respected  accordingly. 
M  By  order  of 

"MAJOR  GENERAL  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

"  Comd'g  Dept.  of  Maryland. 
«  Official 

"  JAMES  R.  BELLOW, 

"  Asst-Adj.-General." 

"  By  Heaven  !  "  I  mutter,  as  I  stride  down  Mrs. 
Coleman's  steps.  That  was  a  blow  in  the  dark,  for  my 
unguarded  words  to  Stonewall  Jackson  at  Frederick. 

The  crafty  subtlety  of  the  attack  appalls  me.  I  am 
made  the  officer  whose  very  duty  compels  me  to  arrest 
Rebel  sympathizers  among  my  old  friends  and  numer- 
ous relations,  all  of  them  apt  to  get  imprisonment  for 
their  Southern  views.  Besides,  this  will  forever  cut  me 
off  from  my  father's  affection,  my  sisters'  love. 

Evidences  of  this  come  to  me  very  fast. 

As  I  enter  my  home  my  father,  who  has  apparently 
been  waiting  up  for  me,  meets  me  in  the  hall  with  an 
agonized  face.  In  his  hand  is  a  copy  of  the  evening 
paper,  also  a  document  that  bears  the  War  Department's 
brand. 

I  could  not  believe  what  I  read  in  this  cursed  news- 
paper, sir,"  mutters  the  old  gentleman,  "  though  this 
seems  to  confirm  it."  He  passes  me  the  envelope 
addressed  Capt.  W.  F.  Hamilton,  ist  Kentucky  Cavalry, 
on  service. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  83 

"Is  this  for  you?  "  he  asks  falteringly. 

For  answer,  I  break  the  seal  of  the  missive. 

It  contains  the  order  mentioned  in  the  paper  and 
directs  me  to  report  at  the  Provost  Marshal's  office, 
Baltimore,  for  duty  on  receipt  of  it. 

"  My  God,  I — I  can't  believe  it,"  stammers  my 
father.  Then  he  cries  out  to  me,  "Bill,  my  boy,  tell 
me  it  is  not  true  ?  " 

"  It  is,  sir,"  I  answer  quietly  for  the  old  gentleman's 
grief  appalls  me. 

"  True  that  you  have  been  a  Union  officer,  while 
you  smuggled  yourself  into  my  heart  and  your  sisters' 
caresses  ?  Good  heavens  !  it  will  break  their  hearts 
when  they  know  that  the  wounds  you  bear  upon  your 
brow  are  the  marks  of  infamy,  not  honor." 

"  Not  that,  sir.  No  scar  of  manly  combat  is  dishon- 
orable," I  reply. 

But  he  interrupts  me,  lashing  himself  in  rage,  "Not 
when  received  in  crushing  us  under  the  heel  of  the 
Yankee  ?  My  God,  my  boy — that  I  adored — deceiv- 
ing me — crawling  into  my  home  as  a  Confederate 
officer — when  he's  a  traitor  to  the  South — a  traitor  to 
his  country." 

"  I  may  be  a  traitor  to  the  South,  but  I  am  not  a 
traitor  to  my  country,"  I  return  stoutly.  "  I  have  re- 
ceived an  education  from  this  country  ;  I  have  fought 
for  this  country  ;  I'll  stand  by  this  country — the  whole 
of  it,  not  part  of  it — till  I  go  under.*' 

"Then  out  of  my  house,  you  damned  Yankee  scoun- 
drel," cries  my  father.  "  Out  of  my  house  !  " 

No  appeal  of  mine  will  he  listen  to,  though  I  beg 
him  to  consider  I  have  a  right  to  my  faith,  as  he  has  to 
his. 

It  is  useless  for  me  to  expostulate  with  him. 

My  father  falters:  "Heaven  forgive  you;  you've 
broken  my  heart,"  and  the  banging  of  his  library  door 
is  answer  to  my  last  word. 

Defiantly  I  go  upstairs,  don  my  blue  uniform,  and 
pack  my  trunk. 

Jonas,  the  negro  footman,  with  a  sad  look  in  his  eyes, 
carries  it  down  and  mutters  :  "  Good-bye.  God  bless 
you,  Massa  Bill,  then  whispers,  "  I  hopes  you  fight 
de  Rebs  like  hell,"  and  by  my  direction  goes  in  search 
of  a  cab. 


84  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

As  I  wait  for  the  vehicle  I  get  another  greeting. 

A  carriage  draws  hurriedly  up.  I  hear  the  patter  of 
light  slippers  on  the  front  steps,  as  I  am  about  to  open 
the  door. 

Virginia  and  Birdie  fly  in.    They  have  heard  the  news. 

"  Go  back  with  us,  Bill,"  cries  my  elder  sister  de- 
fiantly, "and  tell  them  it  is  all  a  dastard  lie.  Tel! 

them "    Then  she  sees  my  Federal  uniform,  nad 

pauses  petrified,  but  shuddering. 

As  for  Birdie,  dear  little  Birdie,  she  begins  to  cry  as 
if  her  heart  would  break  and  implores  me  wildly  : 
"Take  it  off  1  Take  it  off!  Take  off  the  horrid 
thing,  Billy.  Why,  one  would  think  you  were  an 
Abolitionist." 

"  I  am  not  an  Abolitionist,"  I  mutter  sullenly.  "  I 
am  only  an  officer  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  your  country." 

"Our  country  is  the  South — when  our  brothers  and 
sisters  live,"  cries  Virginia  who  is  striding  about  with 
the  air  of  Lady  Macbeth.  Then  she  bursts  out  laugh- 
ing in  a  horrid,  jeering,  unnatural  way  :  "  Oho  !  The 
gallant  officer  of  Stuart's,  he  who  rode  with  Lee  and 
fought  the  Yanks  with  Jackson." 

"Forgive  my  deception,"  I  cry  desperately.  "I 
only  deceived  you  so  as  to  keep  your  love — your  kisses. " 

"  Which  you  have  lost  forever,"  returns  my  stately 
sister,  with  white  face,  and  agonized  though  unforgiv- 
ing eyes.  "  Good-bye  !  Until  you  repent  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes  ;  no  1  in  Confederate  gray — I  call  you  brother 
no  more.  Come,  Birdie  ! "  Virgie  turns  and  walks  up 
the  stairs  though  once  I  see  her  falter  in  her  step. 

But  Birdie,  dear  heart,  is  in  my  arms  !  She  is  sob- 
bing :  "  Good-bye.  God  bless  you,  Billy,  though  I  don't 
suppose  I'll  ever  see  you  again.  You  can't  fight 
against  our  Southern  troops,  they'll  simply  kill  you, 
that  is  all." 

Then  she  goes  faltering  on — for  my  only  answer 
to  the  dear  little  girl  is  a  caress:  "What  wili  Eva' 
Ashley  say  when  you  fight  against  her  friends  and  burn 
her  Virginia  home  ?  She'll  despise  you.  You've  lost 
not  only  your  family  but  your  wife  !  But  I  forgive — • 
I  pardon  you — you  don't  know  what  you're  doing,  you 
foolish  fellow — my  only  brother  !  " 

Then  she  screams  out  :  ' '  Virgie,  come  and  give  hin* 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  85 

a  kiss ! — be  a  sister  to  him  !  Father,  come  and  give 
him  your  blessing  before  he  dies  1  " 

But  the  scene  is  too  horrible.  With  a  hasty  kiss, 
I  break  from  her  clinging  arms  and  run  from  the 
house. 

Truly  the  Secretary  knew  how  to  reach  the  heart  of 
a  Border-State  Union  officer. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

THE  LUNCHEON  AT  GUY'S. 

1  SEND  my  baggage  to  an  out-of-the-way  hotel  and 
the  next  morning  report  at  the  provost-marshal's  office 
for  duty.  Somehow  I  get  through  my  work  for  a 
miserable  three  weeks,  that  is  made  endurable  only 
by  the  renewal  of  a  West  Point  intimacy  with  an  old 
classmate,  Captain  Arthur  Vermilye,  commanding  one 
of  two  light  batteries  of  the  2ist  Artillery. 

This  young  officer  is  stationed  with  his  regiment  at 
Fort  McHenry,  and  cut  off,  like  myself,  from  the  society 
of  Baltimore  ladies  by  his  blue  uniform.  Naturally, 
we  become  even  greater  chums  than  in  our  days  at 
the  Academy.  Arthur,  however,  has  one  advantage 
over  me.  On  leave,  he  can  run  up  to  New  York 
where  his  family  occupies  a  distinguished  social  posi- 
tion, and  being  a  man  of  large  means,  enjoy  the  de- 
lights of  home,  of  girls'  sweet  voices  and  feminine 
bright  eyes. 

But  no  social  happiness  can  come  to  me.  The  local 
press  have  made  me  prominent,  the  loyal  portion  of  it 
eulogizing  me  as  the  most  uncompromising  out-and- 
out  Unionist  of  the  State,  the  journals  of  secession  pro- 
clivities sneering  at  me  a.^  strongly  as  they  dare,  and 
hinting  I  am  both  a  coward  and  time-server. 

During  this  time  my  official  business,  thank  Heaven, 
is  almost  entirely  routine  work,  and  brings  me  little  in 
contact  with  my  fellow-townsmen  with  whom  I  have 
been  intimate  before ;  for  since  Lee's  retreat  from 
Maryland,  the  government  authorities  have  little  fear 
of  Baltimore  secessionists,  those  of  them  who  have 


86  BILLY  HAMILTON. 

determined  to  go  to  the  war  having  already  gone 
South  long  ago. 

Still  I  do  my  utmost  to  fill  my  office  efficiently,  seiz- 
ing, one  night,  in  a  country  house  just  out  of  Baltimore, 
three  Confederate  sympathizers  who  are  about  to  cross 
the  Potomac  to  join  the  Rebel  army  under  Lee.  This 
makes  me  all  the  more  hated  and,  fortunately,  feared, 
for  it  stops  covert  newspaper  abuse. 

But  as  a  rule  my  provost-marshal  duties  are  mostly 
gathering  in  drunken  soldiers  who  have  overstayed 
their  leave  of  absence,  apprehending  a  few  bounty- 
jumpers,  now  becoming  numerous  under  the  new  call 
for  troops,  and  stopping  the  underground  mail  route 
to  Richmond  via  Leonardstown,  by  means  of  which 
some  medicines  and  supplies,  as  well  as  a  few  volun- 
teers for  the  Rebel  ranks  and  returning  Southern  soldiers 
who  have  sneaked  over  into  Maryland  to  visit  relatives, 
find  their  way  to  the  South. 

This  places  me  on  rather  intimate  terms  with  several 
of  Lafayette  C.  Baker's  Secret  Service  detectives,  and 
likewise  produces  a  long  distance  acquaintance,  by  re- 
ports I  secure  of  them,  with  quite  a  number  of  Rebel 
blockade  runners,  Potomac  pilots  and  Maryland  under- 
ground post-office  runners,  etc.,  among  them  the  cele- 
brated Wat  Bowie  and  the  renowned  Alec,  the  guide 
par  excellence  for  Rebel  parties  crossing  to  Virginia. 

Of  the  latter,  I  arrest  none,  no  evidence  being  ob- 
tainable against  them  at  the  time,  but  from  the  former 
I  receive  some  inside  information  one  day  that  causes 
me  to  open  my  ears  very  wide. 

I,  in  command  of  some  twenty  troopers,  have  gone 
down  to  Leonardstown,  accompanied  by  two  of 
Baker's  detectives,  by  name,  Rod  Gibbon  and  Joe 
Shook.  These  two  gentlemen  hunt  in  couples,  Mr. 
Gibbon,  who  is  a  Maryland  farmer,  and  knows  the 
State  from  one  end  to  the  other,  being  the  "bull-dog" 
of  the  partnership  ;  Mr.  Shook,  a  Pennsylvania  Dutch- 
man, from  the  vicinity  of  Hanover,  just  over  the  State 
line,  who  has  enough  Hebrew  lineage  connected  with 
his  Teuton  blood  to  make  him  cunning  as  a  Judas 
Iscariot,  acting  as  the  terrier  of  the  firm. 

In  their  company  I  brush  up  Leonardstown  to  find 
our  suspects  as  usual  not  en  evidence,  our  local  spies 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  87 

telling  me  that  Bowie  has  crossed  the  Potomac,  and 
Alec  is  probably  at  Port  Tobacco. 

In  the  Leonardstown  hotel,  which  is  a  miserable 
one,  as  almost  all  Maryland  rural  taverns  were  in  that 
day,  over  a  badly  cooked  and  worse  served  dinner,  of 
which  I  furnish  the  only  endurable  portion  in  the  form 
of  a  bottle  of  whisky  from  my  saddle-pouch,  Rod 
Gibbon  and  Joe  Shook,  made  sociable  by  the  liquor, 
go  to  telling  me  anecdotes  of  their  war  detective  life, 
how  they  have  arrested  young  ladies  of  the  demi- 
monde travelling  under  passes  issued  by  division 
commanders,  how  they  have  broken  up  Confederate 
mail  routes,  how  they  had  even  been  caught  in  the 
Rebel  lines  during  Lee's  recent  invasion  of  Maryland, 
and  were  never  taken  for  anything  but  farmers  and 
locals. 

"  Ye  didn't  git  off  quite  so  slick,  Cap.  I  seed  ye  in 
Frederick  just  after  the  Rebs  had  nailed  ye,"  remarks 
Mr.  Shook  with  a  grin. 

"You  saw  me  in  Frederick  ?  "  I  return,  my  eyes  ex- 
pressing my  surprise  and  interest. 

"Yas,  I  war  the  country  farmer  selling  vegetables 
and  chickens  to  Stuart's  men,  when  you  rode  up  with 
a  Johnnie  officer,  and  a  gal  on  a  dappled  mare.  Rod, 
here,  war  the  countryman  driving  of  my  wagon.  Gee- 
hosh  !  But  I'd  have  guv  half  a  month's  wages  to  have 
been  in  yer  boots  !  "  adds  the  Secret  Service  lynx  with 
another  grin. 

"You'd  have  liked  to  have  been  in  my  boots  when 
I  was  a  prisoner  ?  "  I  ask  astonished. 

"Yes,  siree,  if  the  gal  war  the  one  I've  since  allowed 
she  might  be.  Would  yer  mind  giving  me  a  descrip- 
tion of  her?  There  warn't  no  light  in  front  of  the 
house,  and  gol  darn  it,  we  darsn't  go  into  the  hotel 
with  the  Reb  cavalrymen.  Some  cussed  secesh  local 
might  have  recognized  us  and  guv  us  away.  Both  of 
us  war  wearing  cavalry  boots  under  our  jean  pants, 
the  Rebs  come  on  us  so  suddenly.  We  only  jist  got 
warning  half  an  hour  afore  of  Stuart's  coming,  from 
Kelly,  the  telegraph  operator,  before  he  took  to  the 
woods.  Luckily,  Kelly's  brother  war  a  truck  farmer, 
and  that  guv  us  a  chance  to  take  suspicion  off  of  us  by 
selling  the  Johnnies  his  farm  stuff." 

"There  warn't  no  show  to  make  a  run  of  it,"  inter- 


88  «ILLY   HAMILTON. 

jects  Mr.  Gibbon.  "We  were  both  so  lame  we  could 
hardly  walk,  and  our  two  nags  had  been  ruined  by  a 
darn  niggah.  Besides,  we  wanted  to  get  a  look  at  the 
gal.  You  couldn't  give  us  a  description  of  her,  could 
yer,  Cap  ?  You  must  have  seen  her  in  a  leetle  better 
light  than  we  ?  "  he  asks  eagerly. 

Somehow,  instinct  tells  me  to  assent  to  this. 

"Certainly,  I  can  1  '  I  reply.  "  I  saw  her  the  next 
morning." 

And  then  instinct  tells  me  to  give  these  two  govern- 
ment blood-hounds  such  a  description  of  the  girl  that 
I  captured  on  the  Potomac,  they'd  look  her  straight  in 
the  face  for  a  day  and  never  dream  they  had  heard  of 
her. 

This  I  do  frankly  and  fully  ;  so  fully  that  Rod  Gibbon 
mutters,  disconcertedly  :  "Ye  say  she's  a  brunette  gal  ? 
Curse  me,  I  thought  her  a  blue-eyed  blondy." 

"  Then  you've  had  your  idea  of  her  for  nothing,"  I 
reply,  and  growing  curious  in  my  turn,  I  query  : 
"  Why  do  you  want  her  description  ?  " 

"  Because — I  don't  suppose  it  makes  much  difference 
in  my  telling  you,  Cap.  Reckon  we're  mistook  any 
way,"  returns  Shook.  "  But  Rod  and  I  allowed  she 
war  a  gal  that  Stanton  had  told  our  boss,  Baker,  to  git 
at  any  price.  Some  highfalutin  creature  that's  got  a 
way  of  getting  inside  War  Office  information  somehow, 
and  then  gitting  it  to  Reb  headquarters  slick  as  grease. 
We'd  kind  o'  got  on  her  track  that  very  night  down  by 
the  Potomac.  At  least,  we  allowed  we  had,  and  were 
riding  after  her  like  streaks  of  lightning  along  a  coun- 
try lane,  when,  gol  darn  it  !  suddenly  both  Rod  and 
me,  we  were  riding  neck  and  neck,  both  thought  we 
had  struck  Kingdom  come  !  The  gal,  or  her  damned 
niggah,  who  was  called  Massie  or  Quashie,  or  some 
such  fool  name,  had  stretched  a  rope  knee-high  across 
the  lane  from  one  tree  to  another.  Rod  and  me 
couldn't  do  more  than  limp  around  for  an  hour,  and 
our  horses  were  so  shook  to  pieces  that  we  had  to  leave 
'em  and  hire  a  wagon  to  git  us  to  Frederick.  Of  course, 
as  soon  as  we  could,  we  sneaked  away  from  Stuart's 
men  to  where  we  could  git  off  our  cavalry  boots  and 
make  ourselves  look  like  real  Maryland  jays  all  over. 
The  next  day  Rod  strolled  back  into  Frederick  to  git  a 
look  at  the  gal  in  the  hotel,  but  on  Market  Street  we 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  89 

heer'd  as  how  the  gal  war  to  be  sent  down  South  under 
guard  for  insulting  of  Stonewall  Jack.  So  we  reckoned 
she  warn't  our  bird,  but  since  then,  I  rather  guess  that 
Stonewall  Jack  war  too  smart  for  us  Secret  Service 
men,  just  as  he'd  been  too  slick  for  a  good  many  Union 
ginerals.  So,  Cap,  I'll  give  you  a  tactic.  Ifyoushould 
happen  to  see  that  ere  gal,  just  p'int  her  out  to  Baker, 
and  it  may  make  you  a  Colonel."  With  this,  Shook 
winks  knowingly  at  me  with  his  cunning  gray  eyes. 

Now,  on  my  return  to  Baltimore,  this  conversation 
has  more  effect  on  me  than  I  will  admit  to  myself.  I 
have  had  some  thoughts  of  resigning  my  commission. 
It  may  be  a  year  before  exchange  will  place  me  in  the 
active  ranks  of  the  army.  I  am  pretty  well  aware  that 
advancement  will  be  very  slow  at  best,  under  the 
negative  enmity  of  the  Secretary. 

But  from  this  moment,  my  views  change.  I  have 
entered  the  army  to  fight  for  the  Union.  Mr.  Stanton 
isn't  the  Union.  In  a  day,  in  a  week,  under  the  quick 
changes  of  the  political  volcano  in  Washington,  he 
may  be  out  of  office.  He  certainly  will  be  if  McClellan 
remains  General-in-Chief,  and  everything  points  to 
little  Mac's  retaining  his  command.  Since  his  victory 
at  Antietam,  the  Democratic  General  is  the  idol  of  the 
army  ;  ay — even  of  the  people,  save  certain  Western 
politicians  who  want  a  Western  General  in  command. 

But  underneath  my  outburst  of  patriotism,  I  find  a 
lingering  hope  of  being  in  some  way  of  aid  to  a  bright 
face  and  charming  personality,  about  whom,  it  seems 
to  me,  the  meshes  of  a  net  dangerous  to  her  liberty — 
perhaps,  even  to  her  life — are  being  drawn. 

Perchance  /  was  half-way  traitor  even  then  •'  At  all 
events,  I  knew  that  a  certain  young  lady  with  blue 
violet  eyes  and  nut-brown  hair  would  receive  succor 
from  me — even  in  the  face  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
himself. 

About  the  end  of  October,  somewhat  to  my  aston- 
ishment, I  receive  information  that  I  will  shortly  be 
relieved  from  active  duty  in  Baltimore  and  again 
ordered  to  Washington  to  await  my  exchange. 

I  am  delighted  to  go — my  native  city  has  become  to 
me  the  saddest  spot  on  earth — for  I  am  in  my  home, 
yet  homeless.  My  brother-officers  that  I  associate 
with  are  happy  ;  the  Baltimore  girls  may  scorn  them, 


90  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

but  there  are  awaiting  sweethearts  in  the  North. 
When  their  furloughs  come,  welcoming  arms  and 
sweet  lips  will  greet  them  by  their  firesides.  As  for  me, 
I  am  desolate  beside  my  own  roof-tree. 

Fortunately,  I  have  never  encountered  my  father. 
My  two  sisters  I  meet  one  day  in  the  hurrying  crowd 
on  Baltimore  Street,  and  find  I  have  now — only 
one.  .- 

Virginia  passes  me  by  as  coldly  and  haughtily  as  ii 
J  had  never  existed  as  her  brother,  only  I  notice  sh« 
shivers  as  she  draws  her  dainty  skirts  away  from  my 
contaminating  blue,  for  I  happen  to  be  in  uniform. 

Birdie,  God  bless  her  dear  heart,  gives  me  one 
agonized  glance,  and  the  tears  well  up  in  her  soft  eyes 
as  I  pass  hurriedly  on. 

Half  a  block  away  a  pleading  little  hand  is  laid  upon 
my  arm.  Birdie  has  run  after  me. 

"Billy!"  she  begs.  She  is  almost  crying  now. 
"  Passing  me  without  a  word  ?  " 

"Virginia  cut  me  as  if  I  were  a  dog,"  I  mutter,  indig- 
nantly. "Why  shouldn't  you  do  the  same?" 

"To  my  brother?"  shudders  the  girl.  "No,  no  ' 
Ah  !  pity  us  !  You're  breaking  father's  heart.  Please — 
please  !  Even  if  you  won't  fight  for  it,  don't  fighv 
against  the  cause  we  love.  Think  of  us  a  little.  Virgie 
hangs  her  head  in  shame  when  she  hears  whispers 
about  you.  When  '  spy,' and  'dough-face,'  and  '  traitor,' 
and  '  coward'  come  to  my  ears,  I — I  can't  defend 
you  ;  I  can  only  slink  away  and  cry." 

"Don't  trouble  yourself  to  defend  me,  dear  Birdie," 
I  whisper.  "As  for  my  flirting  young  lady  friends  of 
yesterday  " — my  voice  becomes  bitter — "  let  them  say 
what  they  please.  In  regard  to  my  gentleman  defam- 
ers,  send  them  to  me ;  I  can  defend  my  good  name 
and  the  uniform  I  wear.  But — "  I  go  on,  in  sarcastic 
voice  : — "Virgie  is  waiting  for  you  half  a  block  away. 
The  air  about  her  Union  brother  is  too  tainted  for  her 
Southern  nose." 

"But  not  for  me,  Billy, "sobs  Birdie;  and  putting 
her  arms  around  me  right  in  the  street,  my  darlinp- 
little  sister  kisses  me  as  tenderly  as  if  I  wore  the  gray- 
and  not  the  blue. 

"No,"  she  pouts.  "I  am  not  going  to  Virgie.  She 
can  stand  there  as  long  as  she  pleases.  I  haven't  seen 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  91 

you  for  two  weeks.  Supposing  you  take  me  to  lunch 
with  you,  my — my  brother." 

That  word  settles  it ! 

"Who  could  refuse  dear  little  sister  anything?"! 
answer.  "Come  along,  Birdie,  let's  forget  this  cruel 
war  over  the  menu  at  Guy's." 

The  '  Guy's '  of  that  day  was  a  fashionable  restaurant, 
but  expense  was  little  to  me.  Fortunately,  I  had  re- 
ceived from  my  mother's  estate  a  considerable  income, 
and  now,  though  cut  off  from  any  assistance  from  my 
father,  am,  with  my  pay,  financially  very  comfortable. 
There  is  only  one  obstacle  to  my  sister's  lunching  with 
me  at  Guy's  :  that  is,  I  have  invited  for  the  same  meal, 
at  the  same  place,  the  only  officer  I  am  particularly 
intimate  with  in  the  Baltimore  garrison,  Arthur  Sever- 
ance Vermilye  of  New  York. 

As  we  turn  off  Monument  Square  into  Guy's,  I  see 
the  handsome  fellow  standing  waiting  for  me,  and  re- 
membering he  is  of  the  very  best  family  connections 
in  the  Empire  City,  and  in  every  way  my  sister's 
and  my  social  equal,  I  mutter  to  myself:  "Why 
not  ? " 

Two  minutes  afterward,  I  lead  my  classmate  to 
Birdie  as  she  is  sitting  at  table,  and  to  her  astonished 
glance,  say  :  c<  Permit  me  to  introduce  my  great  friend 
and  class  chum,  Captain  Vermilye,  of  New  York. 
Arthur,  this  is  my  sister,  Miss  Clara  Oriole  Hamilton, 
whom  our  family  has  called  'Birdie'  since  she  first 
chirped.  Captain  Vermilye  had  my  invitation  to 
lunch." 

"  And  if  he  had  cut  me  off  from  the  additional  pleas- 
ure since  he  added  you  to  the  party,  Miss  Hamilton,  I 
should  never  have  forgiven  Ramrod,"  interjects  Ver- 
milye, giving  me  my  Academy  nickname  in  an  easy 
offhand  manner,  for  the  Captain  of  Artillery  sees  the 
embarrassment  the  first  introduction  he  has  ever  had 
to  a  Baltimore  belle  brings  upon  her. 

"I  am  always  pleased  to  meet  a  gentleman  who  has 
been  kind  to  my  brother,"  remarks  Birdie,  forced  to  a 
cordial  tone,  though,  in  truth,  she  has  since  confessed 
to  me  she  thought  of  running  away.  "Billy's  letters 
often  mentioned  you  when  he  was  at  that  awful  West 
Point  that  has  made  him " 

"  What  r>"   asks  Vermilye,    bowing  haughtily  and 


9*  BILLY  HAMILTON. 

getting  red  in  the  face,  for  though  desperately  anxious 
to  know  Baltimore  girls — as  what  young  man  wouldn't, 
seeing  their  beauty  day  after  day — he  had  even  ex- 
postulated with  me  when  I  suggested  the  introduction, 
remarking  :  "It  will  only  embarrass  your  sister  to  be 
rude  to  me.  Hang  it  1  She's  pretty  nearly  cut  your 
acquaintance  though  you're  her  brother,  I  understand. 
Curse  it !  These  Baltimore  beauties  have  got  into  the 
habit  of  scorning  us." 

"Nonsense!  Come  along,"  I  whisper.  Its  a  bad 
habit  we  must  break  them  of."  This  last  with  a  laugh, 
for  I  am  in  high  spirits.  At  least,  I  have  regained  one 
sister,  and  Birdie  this  afternoon  looks  beautiful  enough 
to  make  any  brother  proud  ;  so  beautiful,  I  have  little 
difficulty  in  bringing  Vermilye  over  to  our  table. 

A  moment  after,  Birdie,  who  of  course  feels  she 
can't  slight  his  uniform  unless  she  slights  mine,  finds 
herself  seated  at  table  with  two  officers  in  the  hated 
blue,  and  one  of  them  very  handsome  and  very  charm- 
ing, for  never  have  I  seen  Arthur  exert  himself  to  please 
as  he  does  at  this  meal.  Fortunately,  he  has  not  only 
a  face  that  is  effective  with  young  ladies,  but  a  bear- 
ing that,  though  it  is  punctilio  itself,  is  veiled  by  that 
high  social  art  which  conceals  it.  Besides,  though 
perfectly  unassuming,  and  with  no  suspicion  of  famil- 
iarity in  his  manner,  he  has  a  frank  style,  and  an  easy 
honest  bonhomie  that  forbids  man  or  woman  to  keep 
him  at  arm's  length  if  he  wishes  to  get  nearer. 

In  this  case,  apparently,  he  wishes  to  get  very  near 
Miss  Birdie,  whose  piquant  archness  seems  to  be 
heightened  by  the  latent  embarrassment  of  being  cheer- 
ful with  her  tyrants,  and  holding  out  her  metaphorically 
manacled,  though  exquisitely  gloved,  patrician  hands 
in  fellowship  to  her  military  jailers. 

Seeing  Vermilye,  who  has  been  longing  for  feminine 
society, — the  thing  he  likes  and  from  which  he  has 
been  cut  off  in  Baltimore, — putting  his  best  foot  for- 
ward, I  devote  myself  to  my  oysters,  partridge  and 
champagne,  and  permitting  him  to  monopolize  my 
sister's  small  talk,  am  delighted  to  see,  after  a  little 
the  two  get  to  chatting,  not  as  enemies,  but  as  friends, 
perchance  even  as  a  young  man  and  yOung  woman 
who  want  to  make  a  mutually  good  impression. 

Chancing  to  hear  that  for  social  pleasures  Captain 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  93 

Vermilye  runs  up  to  New  York  when  he  can  get  leave, 
and  very  shortly  discovering  that  he  moves  in  the  best 
set  in  the  society  of  the  metropolis,  Miss  Birdie  com- 
mences to  ask  that  gentleman  of  the  new  figures  in 
the  german  at  Mrs.  Belmont's  recent  ball  on  Fifth 
Avenue. 

A  few  minutes  after  they  discover  they  have  mutual 
friends  in  Manhattan,  for  my  sister  had  been  educated 
at  Miss  Hayne's  Select  Academy  in  Gramercy  Park. 

Before  I  realize  it,  the  two  are  deep  in  social  chat, 
repartee,  and  the  polite,  yet  charming  nothings  that 
make  young  ladies  and  young  gentlemen  pleasing  unto 
each  other.  The  meal  apparently  runs  along  very 
smoothly  on  the  pleasant  lines  of  society,  which  are 
about  the  same  everywhere,  Captain  Vermilye  telling 
my  sister  of  a  ball  he  has  lately  been  to  in  Washington, 
that  of  Mrs.  Senator  Rufus  J.  Bream.  "  By-the-by," 
he  adds,  turning  to  me,  "a  young  lady  there  men- 
tioned your  name  to  me.  Incidentally  she  had  learned 
that  I  had  been  in  the  class  of  1861,  and  I  presume 
from  that  she  judged  I  was  your  classmate  at  West 
Point." 

"  Indeed  ? "  I  answer.  "  A  girl  in  Washington  takes 
enough  interest  in  me  to  talk  about  Billy  Hamilton? 
What's  her  name  anyway?  " 

"She  is  a  Virginia  young  lady,  I  believe,"  answers 
Arthur  carelessly  ;  "Miss  Eva  Ashley." 

"Eva  Ashley!"  cries  Birdie  excitedly.  "Well,  I 
should  hope  she  would  take  an  interest  in  Billy.  She 
is  engaged  to  be  married  to  him." 

"  Engaged  to  be  married  ioyou  ?  "  echoes  Vermilye, 
turning  his  eyes  upon  me  with  about  the  same  expres- 
sion in  them  as  if  he  had  heard  I  had  just  won  the 
capital  prize  in  the  Havana  lottery.  "  Then  I  can  con- 
gratulate you  on  gaining  certainly  the  most  beautiful 
woman  in  Washington." 

"  Why  not  say  Baltimore  as  well  ?  "  adds  Birdie  en- 
thusiastically. 

"I  would  have  until  this  afternoon,"  remarks  the 
artillery-man  pointedly.  "You  see,  I  haven't  had 
much  opportunity  of  inspecting  Baltimore  faces;  the 
backs  of  the  young  ladies  have  been  generally  turned 
to  me  when  I  chanced  to  encounter  them,  but  now, 
judging  by  sample — " 


94  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Here  I  interrupt,  for  Birdie's  face  is  growing  very  red 
under  my  comrade's  impassioned  glance. 

"Oh!  Go  a  little  further,"  I  say  nonchalantly. 
"'  Make  Miss  Eva  Ashley  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  world." 

"She  is  !  "  says  my  sister  promptly.  "And  you  ar» 
the  only  man  who  has  not  enough  interest  in  her  tc 
find  out  for  yourself.  I — I  don't  believe  you'd  walk 
into  the  next  room  if  your  affianced  were  there  at  this 
moment" 

"This  is  very  extraordinary,"  mutters  Vermilye, 
looking  at  me  so  astonished  that  I  hasten  to  explain  : 
"You  see,  Arthur,  I  haven't  seen  my  putative  fiancte 
since  we  were  children.  Our  families  made  the  ar- 
rangement for  us  in  our  early  youth.  As  for  Miss 
Ashley,  I  expect  the  minute  she  sets  eyes  on  me  she 
will  repudiate  it,  if  she  has  not  done  so  practically 
already." 

Vermilye's  answer  startles,  even  horrifies  me.  "  I 
don't  think  she  has,"  he  says  slowly. 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  I  heard  the  young  lady  tell  an  officer,  who 
was  inclined  to  be  very  attentive  to  her :  '  I  always 
think  it  right  to  warn  gentlemen  that  I  am  already 
affianced.'" 

This  remark  gives  me  a  shock.  Miss  Ashley's  faith- 
fulness may  seriously  embarrass  me.  I  think  glumly 
of  that  girl  in  the  gray  riding-habit  as  I  gaze  on  Birdie 
making  play  with  Captain  Vermilye. 

What  the  deuce  has  got  into  my  Rebel  sister  ?  She 
is  flirting  as  if  the  Union  officer  were  a  cavalier  of 
Stuart's. 

As  for  my  comrade,  he  apparently  is  doing  his  level 
best,  for  Miss  Birdie's  eyes  are  very  bright,  and  her 
smile  saucy  and  piquant,  and  her  exquisite  features 
most  dangerously  pretty  in  their  dainty  beauty,  as  the 
meal  runs  along  to  its  close,  I  throwing  in  a  word  or 
two  now  and  then,  merely  to  show  that  I  am  en  evi- 
dence. 

As  we  rise  from  the  table,  the  only  embarrassing 
incident  of  the  afternoon  takes  place.  Bowing  his 
adieu,  Vermilye  says, — his  eyes  fixed  eagerly  on  the  fair 
face  that  looks  so  piquant  under  the  little  hat  that  tops 
the  clustering  curls:  "Miss  Hamilton,  I  hope  I  shall 
see  you  again." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  95 

"  Indeed  you  shall !  "  cries  Miss  Birdie,  eageily  hold- 
ing out  her  hand  to  the  handsome  captain.  "  Don't 
fail  to  call  soon."  Then  she  suddenly  grows  red  as 
fire  ;  his  blue  uniform  has  made  her  recollect.  The 
next  instant,  she  adds  with  woman's  exquisite  tact : 
"That  would  be  my  invitation  to  you  were  not  my 
sister  and  my  father  so  averse  to  the  cause  you  serve. 
As  for  me,  I  have  met  to-day  two  Union  officers,  one 
my  brother,  whom  I  love,  and  the  other " — she  looks 
shyly  at  him, — "  who — who  has  given  me  a  very 
pleasant  afternoon." 

"  Believe  me,  I  would  not  embarrass  you  for  the 
world,  Miss  Hamilton,"  returns  the  Captain.  "  Under 
the  circumstances,  I  shall  only  call  by  deputy." 

"By  deputy  f>" 

"Yes,  I  shall  take  the  liberty  of  sending  a  bouquet 
to  represent  me  in  your  salon  to-morrow.  You 
need  not  fear,"  he  adds  hastily,  for  Birdie  is  pale  now, 
though  her  eyes  are  very  bright.  "  It  will  be  anony- 
mous. But  when  you  see  it,  think  Arthur  Severance 
Vermilye  is  bowing  before  you." 

Her  face  flames  up  at  his  words,  for  the  gentleman's 
tone  seems  to  indicate  more  than  he  expresses. 

"  Indeed  I  will,"  answers  Birdie  heartily  and  extends 
her  hand,  which  the  Captain  takes  with  old-time  defer- 
ence. 

Then  we  bid  him  good-bye,  I  escorting  my  sister  to 
the  neighborhood  of  her  home.  Though  the  girl  seems 
in  high  spirits,  she  says  but  little  until  near  her  Charles 
Street  residence. 

"Don't  come  any  further,  Billy,"  she  remarks  ner- 
vously. "  If  papa  saw  you  he  might  make  a 
scene." 

"Very  well,"  I  reply.  "But  where  and  when  am  I 
to  see  you  again  ?  " 

"I — I  don't  know,"  she  answers  dubiously,  prodding 
the  toe  of  her  little  boot  with  one  of  the  petite  parasols 
ladies  sported  in  those  days.  "Unless" — here  she 
looks  at  me  suddenly  and  roguishly — "unless  you 
invite  me  to  lunch  again  !  " 

"All  right  1 "  I  answer  cheerily.  "Day  after  to* 
morrow.  Will  you  come?" 

"  If  they  don't  lock  me  up,"  returns  Birdie  laugh- 
ingly, but  nervously.  Then  she  does  grow  pale  as  she 


96  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

whispers  :  "I  suppose  Virgie  will  scold  me  awfully 
for  going  with  you. " 

"Pooh,"  I  say,  "I  kno  v  her  stately  manner.  Miss 
Virginia  Lawrence  Hamilton  will  say  ;  '  My  sister,  I  do 
not  presume  to  dictate  to  you,  but  I  think  you  should 
regard  papa's  wishes  in  this  matter.'  But,  Birdie, 
you'll  come,  even  if  Virgie  does  bully  you  ?  I  ask 
eagerly. 

'  Won't  I ;  with  my  whole  heart  I  " 

'  Very  well,  then  ;  same  time,  same  place  I  " 

'  Yes,  Guy's — one  o'clock,  Monday." 

'  And  same  party?  "  I  add,  unable  to  restrain  a  little 
brotherly  joke. 

'  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

*  Arthur  Severance  Vermilye,  of  course." 

Oh  1  if  you  like.     He's  a — a  very  charming  gen- 
tleman." 

"  Union  officers  are  not  so  awfully  awful?"  I  jeer. 
"  Don't  kiss  his  bouquet." 

"  What  nonsense  !  Under  the  circumstances,  that 
would  be  equivalent  to  kissing  him"  whispers  Birdie, 
haughtily  yet  bashfully  ;  then  runs  away  with  a  very 
red  face,  though  her  saucy  nose  is  quite  high  in  the 
air. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"GIVE   ME   FIVE   MINUTES   ALONE   WITH    HER?" 

A  FEW  hours  afterwards  I  meet  Captain  Vermilye  at 
his  quarters.  Curiously  enough  he  seems  rather  glum 
and  out  of  spirits.  But  the  minute  he  receives  my  in- 
vitation to  a  second  luncheon  at  which  my  sister  will 
be  present,  he  brightens  up  immensely,  accepts  eagerly, 
and  goes  off  to  billiards  with  me  in  the  very  highest 
feather. 

The  consequence  is  that  we  three  meet  again  for 
luncheon  in  Guy's  Restaurant  at  the  time  appointed, 
but  here,  Miss  Birdie  gives  me  a  start.  On  the  previous 
occasion,  she  had  been  very  prettily  gowned,  but  her 
toilet  this  time  is  of  such  stunning  style,  chic  and 
effectiveness,  that  I  gaze  at  her  astonished,  and  know 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  QJ 

the  get-up  is  not  for  me.  In  addition,  she  wears  in 
the  bosom  of  her  corsage,  a  few  exquisite  rosebuds. 

"  Souvenirs  of  your  last  call,"  she  says,  archly 
pointing  to  them,  as  Captain  Vermilye  bends  over  her 
extended  hand. 

So  sitting  down,  the  two  seem  to  commence  about 
where  they  left  off  on  the  previous  luncheon,  and  with 
a  cordial  familiarity  that  astounds  me,  proceed  to  play 
the  game  of  Adam  and  Eve. 

"  Judging  by  your  tree-and-easy  greeting,  Captain 
Vermilye  has  called  several  times,  Miss  Birdie,"  I 
mutter  roguishly,  as  I  digest  my  oysters. 

"  He  has,  twice — by  bouquet!  Though  that  is  not 
the  most  satisfactory  way  for  a  young  lady  to  receive 
a  gentleman's  visits,"  she  remarks  coquettishly, blushing 
very  prettily  as  she  speaks. 

"  Nor  the  pleasantest  way  for  a  gentleman  to  pay 
them,"  returns  Vermilye,  ardently. 

Then  I  break  in:  "No  unpleasant  social  family 
effects  from  our  last  meeting,  Birdie  ?  You  suggested 
being  locked  up  in  your  room,"  I  laugh. 

"  Not  the  slightest.  Virgie  has  never  spoken  to  me 
about  it.  Better  still,  has  never  spoken  to  papa. 
Though  doubtless  angry  with  me,  she  has  too  noble  a 
nature  to  think  that  her  prejudice  should  separate  me 
from  my  brother." 

This  gives  me  a  pang.  What  will  Virgie  think  of  me 
if,  in  addition  to  my  own  offences,  I  add  the  unpar- 
donable one  of  putting  Birdie  in  the  zone  of  Union 
influence,  emphasized  by  a  pair  of  very  handsome 
masculine  eyes,  a  very  effective  masculine  moustache, 
and  a  very  lover-like  manner,  for  that  is  what  I  begin 
to  see  in  Vermilye's  tender  tones  and  expressive 
glances. 

Apparently,  this  idea  strikes  Miss  Birdie  at  the  same 
moment,  for  she  grows  very  red,  then  turns  very  pale, 
and  from  now  on  doesn't  seem  to  give  much  attention 
to  her  lunch  ;  though,  perhaps,  this  is  because  she 
pays  so  much  to  the  dashing  artillery  captain,  whose 
manner  is  now  so  unmistakably  gallant  that  it  gives 
me  a  start. 

But  the/?/e  draws  to  a  close. 

Though  Birdie  hasn't  eaten  much,  nor  drank  much 
for  that  matter,  her  face  seems  strangely  flushed  and 


98  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

her  eyes  unnaturally  brilliant  as  she  says  she  has  had 
a  delightful  afternoon.  This  is  evidently  intended 
more  for  Arthur  than  for  me,  at  least  she  looks  at  him 
as  she  makes  the  remark. 

So  Birdie  and  I  walk  home  again,  and  this  time, 
instead  of  being  silent,  the  young  lady  has  a  good 
many  roundabout  questions  to  ask  me,  the  drift  of  all 
of  them  deftly  turned  toward  my  comrade. 

Though  I  answer  her  questions,  in  an  off-hand,  big- 
brother  manner,  still  I  think  my  eulogy  of  the  gallant 
captain  is  satisfactory  to  my  pretty  sister ;  for,  as 
she  bids  me  good-bye,  on  Charles  Street,  she  says  : 
"Thank  you,  thank  you  so  much." 

Then  she  adds,  a  curious  eagerness  in  her  voice : 
"When  do  we  lunch  again  ?" 

* '  Ah,  you  liked  the  oysters  ;  Guy's  menu  was  excel- 
lent ?  I  say  banteringly. 

"  Of  course  I  did.     When  do  we  lunch  again  ?  " 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  include  the  captain  ?" 

"  Cetainly  1"  This  is  emphasized  with  a  blush,  she 
adding  severely  :  "It  would  hardly  be  polite  to  exclude 
him  now." 

"  Very  well,"  I  say,  "  I'll  tell  Captain  Vermilye  of 
your  hospitality.  Same  time,  same  place,  four  days 
from  now." 

"  That's  Friday,  but  don't  mention  my  suggesting  his 
attendance.  It's  very  bold  my  lunching  with  two 
gentlemen  even  though  one  is  my  brother,"  murmurs 
Birdie  bashfully. 

So  I  go  off  laughingly  to  tell  Vermilye  about  the 
arrangement  for  him. 

To  my  astonishment  the  artilleryman  has  grown 
more  gloomy  than  ever.  More  curiously,  when  I  again 
suggest  the  proposed  entertainment  to  my  brother- 
officer,  he  appears  about  to  decline  my  invitation. 

"Why?  What's  the  matter?"  I  ask,  astonished. 
tf  You've  nothing  to  do,  and  surely  have  no  other 
social  engagements  with  ladies  in  Baltimore  !  " 

' '  No  ;  that's  the  reason  I  hesitate  to  accept  your 
very  kind  invitation,"  remarks  the  captain,  chewing 
his  moustache  and  puffing  his  cigar  in  an  uneasy  and 
nervous  manner  very  unusual  in  him. 

«'  Indeed !  "  I  say  haughtily,  and  turn  away  rather 
inclined  to  be  angry. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  99 

But  he  stops  me.  Laying  his  hand  on  my  arm  he 
says  impulsively  and  impressively  :  "For God's  sake, 
don't  misunderstand  me,  Bill,  and  answer  me  this 
question  :  Do  you  believe  in  love  at  first  sight?" 

"  Of  course  I  do  1  What  man  of  twenty-three 
doesn't?" 

* '  Lasting  love  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  the  strongest  kind.  I  am  a  victim  of  it  my- 
self." 

"  Oho !  "  he  laughs  lightly,  then  goes  on  anxiously  : 
"  Then  you  will  appreciate  my  position.  To  meet 
your  sister  at  any  time  would  be  one  of  the  greatest 
pleasures  of  my  life,  so  great  a  joy  that  I  hesitate  to 
take  it.  To  be  very  candid  with  you,  Miss  Birdie 
Hamilton" — he  lingers  quite  tenderly  over  the  "Birdie  " 
— "  has  made  a  greater  and  much  more  positive  impres- 
sion upon  me  than  any  young  lady  I  have  ever  met. 
Set  apart  from  her  by  the  passions  of  this  damned  war, 
and  unable  on  account  of  sectional  hate  and  prejudice 
to  visit  her  father's  house,  would  it  be  honorable  in  me 
to  continue  meeting  this  young  lady  ?  Now,  as  her 
brother,  if  you  repeat  your  invitation  to  me" — his  eyes 
are  very  eager — "Hang  me  if  I  don't  accept  it,  and  you 
may  know  what  to  expect !  " 

"Come!"  I  say  cheerily.  "If  Miss  Birdie  is  the 
same  girl  she  was  yesterday,  the  minute  she  doesn't 
want  to  see  you  she'll  let  you  know." 

"Done!"  cries  Arthur,  and  his  jaws  shut  together 
with  a  click  like  the  sound  of  one  of  his  own  battery 
trace  snaps.  Then  our  hands  clasp  ;  mine,  I  think, 
tending  to  give  encouragement,  for  Vermilye  goes  off 
and  plays  billiards  with  me  and  seems  in  great  spirits 
the  whole  evening. 

Naturally,  I  get  meditating  on  this  matter.  Once  or 
twice  I  find  myself  thinking:  "Hang  it!  If  Arthur 
should  hold  a  winning  card  with  my  pretty  sister,  that 
would  be  a  beautiful  revenge  upon  the  governor  for 
turning  his  back  upon  me.  Two  blue  uniforms  in  the 
family  !  "  Then  I  mutter  :  ' '  Why  not  ?  Vermilye  is 
an  honorable  gentleman,  a  man  of  fine  family,  first- 
rate  position,  and  large  fortune.  A  much  better  match 
for  Miss  Birdie  in  every  way  than  some  of  these  Balti- 
more young  gentlemen  of  long  pedigree  and  impetuous 
chivalry,  but  slender  means,  and  no  particular  manner 


100  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

of  improving  them.  Why  should  I  discredit  my  own 
uniform  ?  Miss  Birdie  must  take  her  chances  in  this 
matter."  Here  I  chuckle  to  myself,  "And  hang  me,  if 
the  dear  little  girl  seems  to  be  very  much  averse  to 
taking  them  on  her  own  account !  " 

Still,  on  consideration  I  conclude  it  is  hardly  fair  for 
my  sister  to  enter  upon  a  defensive  campaign  without 
warning.  Therefore,  by  means  of  one  of  our  old  foot- 
men, Jonas,  I  smuggle  a  note  to  her,  and,  Miss  Birdie 
meeting  me  the  next  day  in  Monument  Square,  we  go 
off  on  a  stroll  together. 

During  this  I  tell  her,  by  means  of  masculine  hints 
and  brotherly  jeers,  as  indirectly  as  I  can,  the  impres- 
sion I  think  she  has  made  upon  my  comrade. 

Then,  Miss  Clara  Oriole  Hamilton  astounds  me. 
Though  she  is  sometimes  a  mass  of  blushes,  and  at 
others  her  cheeks  grow  pale,  her  questions  are  very 
straight  and  to  the  point. 

"  Do  you  think,  Billy,"  she  asks  with  white  lips  and 
anxious  eyes,  "that  aside  from  all  sectional  prejudice, 
Captain  Vermilye  would  not  only  be  a  suitable  match 
for  your  sister,  but  a  man  in  whose  hand  you  would  be 
happy  to  place  mine  and  call  yourself  his  brother?" 

"I  do!"  I  reply  earnestly  and  frankly.  There  is 
something  in  the  girl's  face — something  in  the  girl's 
voice  that  tells  me  it  is  my  duty  to  answer  her  with  a 
brother's  frankness. 

"Thank  you,"  she  says,  looking  at  me  gratefully  ; 
then  astounds  me,  for  she  murmurs  :  "You  have  made 
me  very  happy,  but " — here  she  grows  very  bashful — 
"I  will  think  about  coming  to  the  lunch.  If  I  do  come, 
you  may  know  that  a  blue  uniform  makes  no  difference 
to  me."  Then  suddenly  she  mutters,  "  Papa  and  Vir- 
gie  !  "  and  bursts  out  crying  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 

To  her  I  falter :  "I  should  not  have  let  you  meet 
him." 

"  Don't  say  that,"  she  whispers  impulsively.  "God 
bless  you  for  doing  so  ! "  then  runs  away  from  me. 

Of  this  interview,  I  say  nothing  to  Arthur.  Conse- 
quently he  sits  down  to  lunch  with  me  the  next  time  at 
Guy's,  not  guessing  that  I  have  given  a  hint  of  his  pas- 
sion to  my  sister.  As  the  hands  of  the  clock  move 
round  he  glances  eagerly  and  anxiously  at  the  door 
of  the  restaurant  each  time  it  opens,  and  grows 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  IOI 

more  and  more  gloomy,  for  no  Birdie  comes  to  brighten 
our  conclave  with  her  smiles. 

I  grow  gloomy  also;  though  thinking  of  the  mangled 
state  of  my  own  affections  I  mutter  grimly:  "The 
course  of  true  love  never  did  run  smooth." 

Suddenly,  I  see  a  change  in  Vermilye's  face.  It  has 
become  radiant  as  the  sun  which  is  streaming  through 
the  windows. 

I  need  not  ask  the  reason.  Light  footsteps  are  bring- 
ing my  sweet  sister  towards  us,  though  there  is  a  pecul- 
iar set  expression  in  her  face  as  she  murmurs  :  "You 
will  excuse  my  being  late,  Billy.  I  have  had  a  little 
trouble  at  home." 

"Was  it  with  the  governor?"  I  question  uneasily. 

"No,  with  Virgie.  She  has  discovered  that  I — I  take 
lunch  with  two  blue  uniforms."  And  the  girl's  face 
grows  red  as  fire. 

As  I  look  upon  Vermilye  I  know  that  he  has  deter- 
mined that  no  more  embarrassment  of  this  kind  shall 
come  to  my  pretty  sister.  Drawing  me  a  step  aside 
he  whispers  to  me  :  ' '  For  God's  sake,  give  me  just  five 
minutes  alone  with  Miss  Birdie  1  You  owe  it  to  me 
now  !  " 

"  All  right !  But  first  give  me  a  few  minutes  inter- 
view with  these  oysters,  partridge  and  champagne,  "I 
whisper  in  his  ear. 

I  had  always  known  Vermilye  to  be  a  man  of  ex- 
ceeding grit ;  but  his  resolution  of  formally  asking  the 
hand  of  a  Baltimore  belle  of  ultra-secession  proclivities 
and  family,  at  third  time  of  meeting,  and  he  a  Union 
officer,  excites  my  admiration  for  his  social  nerve. 

I  glance  at  Miss  Birdie,  and  notice  that  my  sister's 
pretty  features  have  an  air  of  agitated  bashfulness  that 
is  foreign  to  them,  likewise  a  suspicion  of  humility  that 
is  most  unusual  in  her.  She  looks  to  me  like  the  bird 
in  the  snare  of  the  fowler. 

"  Egad,"  I  think  grimly,  "some  citadels  are  taken 
by  sudden  assault  more  surely  than  by  slow  sap  and 
approach." 

Accordingly  the  meal  runs  along,  I  doing  the  high 
spirits  for  the  party  ;  for  though  Arthur's  conver- 
sation is  easy  and  unaffected,  still  there  is  a  tinge  of 
anxiety  in  his  voice,  and  his  tones  are  mostly  low  and 
deep — very  much  like  those  I  have  noticed  in  men  just 


102  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

before  they  head  a  desperate  charge,  where  defeat 
means  probably  annihilation.  At  proper  opportunity, 
I  stroll  out  after  a  light  for  my  cigar,  and  contrive  to 
occupy  myself  with  the  weed  for  a  few  minutes,  then 
return — to  be  astounded  ! 

Birdie  is  sitting  alone,  with  the  palest  face  and 
brightest  eyes. 

Has  Miss  Rebel  given  Captain  Yankee  his  congt  in 
short  order?  "So  you  sent  poor  Captain  Vermilye 
away,"  I  suggest,  chewing  my  moustache  glumly. 

"No.  He  went  of  his  own  accord,  to — to  buy  the 
engagement  ring,  I  believe,"  falters  Birdie,  her  face  a 
mass  of  color  now.  Then  she  says  quite  haughtily  : 
"You  knew  what  my  answer  must  be,  the  moment  I 
came  under  these  circumstances  to  lunch  with  Arthur. 
You  needn't  look  surprised  at  my  using  his  first  name  ; 
I  've  been  thinking  of  him  as  Arthur  for  the  last  day  or 
two." 

"God  bless  you  !"  I  say  huskily,  and  hold  out  my 
hand.  "I  know  you  have  selected  a  gentleman  who 
will  make  you  happy,  if  you  love  him." 

"Jfl  love  him  !  "  says  the  girl.  "Am  I  not  proving 
that  now  ?  "  Then  she  falters  :  ' '  Good  heavens  1  Papa 
and  Virgie — how  shall  I  tell  /hems'" 

Gazing  at  her,  I  determine  that  though  Vermilye's 
social  nerve  is  very  good,  my  pretty  little  sister,  with 
her  soft  voice  and  butterfly  manner,  has  even  perchance 
a  higher  social  courage  than  his,  in  accepting  the  hand 
of  a  man  who  wears  the  uniform  her  father  and  her  sister 
hate  ;  holding  herself  up  to  the  rage,  scorn  and  hate 
of  every  one  who  has  been  a  companion  of  her  child 
hood. 

"There's  only  one  thing  that  I'd  like  changed  in  the 
affair,"  Birdie  whispers  pathetically  to  me. 

"  His  blue  uniform  ?  "  I  suggest. 

"  Pooh  !  I  don't  think  of  Arthur  in  any  clothes  at  all  I" 
says  Birdie  defiantly.  "No,  no,  of  course,  I  don't 
mean  that.  I — Billy,  you — you  sha'n't  laugh  at  me  I  " 
She  is  red  as  fire  now  and  very  savage.  "  I — I  wish 
Arthur  were  not  so  extremely  rich.  They  '11  say  that  I 
was  false  to  my  Southern  birth,  not  for  love  but  for 
money." 

"Pshaw  !  "  I  return  in  cynic  tones.  " Don't  let  that 
trouble  you.  You'll  find  a  very  much  better  chance 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  1 03 

of  winning  love's  battle  with  plenty  of  money    behind 
you  than  without  it." 

" Nonsense  !"  answers  the  girl  sharply.  "You're 
trying  to  make  me  think  you  are  not  romantic  ;  when, 
Billy,  I  know  you're  the  most  inflammable  piece  of 
masculine  material  on  earth." 

"Even  more  than  the  clothesless  Arthur?"  I  say, 
regarding  her  with  the  eye  of  a  brother,  privileged  to 
joke  on  such  occasions.  At  which  she  blushes  hotly, 
and,  despite  herself,  commences  to  laugh  in  an  hyster- 
ical, nervous  way. 

Fortunately,  this  is  broken  in  upon  by  the  return  of 
the  ardent  one.  "  I  've  got  the  prettiest  ring,"  he  whis- 
pers to  her  eagerly,  "  that  I  could  find  on  Baltimore 
Street.  But  we'll  not  put  it  on  here."  He  looks  at  me 
suggestively  as  we  shake  hands  and  I  congratulate 
him,  then  remarks  in  the  coolest  manner  :  "  I  say,  Bill, 
supposing  I  escort  Birdie  home  this  afternoon." 

"Certainly,"  I  reply,  for  Birdie  has  given  me  an  im- 
ploring glance ;  though  I  feel  perchance  a  little  pang  of 
jealousy  at  the  thought  that  when  the  lover  comes,  the 
brother  steps  quickly  to  the  rear. 

Two  or  three  minutes  after  I  hear  them  say  some- 
thing about  Druid  Hill  Park,  and  conclude  that  Miss 
Birdie's  jaunt  will  be  a  much  longer  one  on  her  way 
home  than  it  had  been  with  me. 

"Any  way,"  I  cogitate,  as  I  look  at  the  two  depart- 
ing together  :  "  they'll  make  a  very  handsome  couple. 
Arthur  is  the  best  fellow  in  the  world,  and  Birdie  tha 
best  girl  I  know — except  one  t " 


BOOK  III. 
A  BEAUTIFUL  ENIGMA. 

CHAPTER  X. 

WASHINGTON    IN    1 862. 

AN  hour  afterwards,  at  my  quarters,  a  despatch  from 
Washington,  ordering  me  to  report  forthwith  at  that 
city,  turns  my  thoughts  for  the  moment  to  my  own 
position. 

While  I  am  pondering  over  this,  Vermilye  joins  me, 
looking  a  little  happier,  if  possible,  than  when  he  left 
me. 

"  Put  on  the  engagement-ring  ?  "  I  say  laughingly. 

"  Didn't  1 1     Bill,  I  'm  the  happiest  man  on  earth  1 " 

"No  fear  of  facing  papa,  eh ? " 

"  Not  a  bit !  I  have  settled  the  whole  matter  with 
Birdie ;  no  embarrassment  must  come  to  her  from  which 
I  can  relieve  her.  She  shall  wear  my  engagement-ring 
openly  in  the  light  of  day." 

"  To-morrow  I  call  upon  your  father — I  introduce  my- 
self in  the  full  uniform  of  a  Captain  in  the  United  States 
artillery — I  prove  to  him  that  aside  from  differences  of 
political  opinion,  I  am  perfectly  fitted  to  be  his  son-in- 
law  ;  that  I  have  ample  fortune  to  support  your  sister 
in  every  ease,  elegance  and  distinction  in  life  ;  that  as 
my  wife,  she  '11  move  in  the  very  best  set  of  metro- 
politan society." 

"With  your  uniform  on,  you  may  count  on  my  gover- 
nor showing  you  the  door — he  did  me  without  mine, 
in  very  quick  order." 

"Then  I  shall  bow  myself  out,"  returns  the  Captain, 
"  but  not  until  I  distinctly  inform  him  that  I  consider  the 
shoulder-straps  I  sport  no  bar  to  my  wedding  anybody  I 
I  shall  also  suggest  to  him  that  though  I  may  not  enter 
his  house  again,  there  will  always  be  a  seat  at  my  fire- 
side for  papa,  when  he  changes  his  mind, — after  I 

104 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  105 

marry  his  daughter !     For  that  I  am  going  to  do, — war 
or  no  war — South  or  no  South — North  or  no  North  1 " 

"  But  supposing  Miss  Birdie  is  restrained?  " 

"That  she  shall  not  be  1 "  answers  Vermilye,  his  eyes 
cold  but  glinting.  "Trust  me  to  hold  what  my  sweet- 
heart's sweet  lips  have  given  unto  me.  And  trust  your 
sister  also  for  keeping  her  troth." 

"Well,  I  rather  imagine  you  and  the  guv'nor  will 
have  a  decidedly  exciting,  though  perhaps  not  an  en- 
tirely pleasant  interview,"  I  remark  grimly.  Then  I 
ask  :  "  And  Birdie — what  does  she  say  about  it  ?  " 

"Oh,  Birdie,  I  hope,  is  happy,  though  I'm  sure  she's 
palpitating,"  laughs  the  captain. 

"Well,  I'm  sorry  I  shall  not  be  here  to  see  it,  and 
aid  you,"  and  I  show  Arthur  my  order  to  Washington. 

Then,  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  an  adviser  as 
regards  my  own  affairs,  and  having  very  much  of  a 
brother's  feeling  for  Vermilye,  I  take  him  into  my  con- 
fidence, explaining  the  whole  of  my  troubles  with  the 
Secretary  of  War  and  most  of  my  adventures  in  Fred- 
erick— omitting  only  that  of  my  young  lady  captive 
with  a  gray  riding-habit ;  I  having  an  extreme  diffi- 
dence about  confessing  I  have  fallen  in  love  at  almost 
first  sight  with  a  girl  whom  I  am  convinced  is  at  least 
the  betrothed,  if  not  the  bride,  of  some  Confederate 
officer. 

To  my  astonishment,  Captain  Vermilye,  who  has  a 
mathematical  mind,  entirely  disagrees  with  me.  He 
says:  "  You'll  get  no  promotion.  Your  chances  in  the 
army  are  naught.  You'd  better  resign  at  once,  Bill." 

"  McClellan  has  the  love  and  confidence  of  his  army. 
Stanton  will  not  remain  Secretary  of  War,"  I  reply. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  for  that  very  reason  McClellan 
will  not  remain  in  command."  Here  Vermilye's  voice 
grows  low  and  cautious.  "There  is  no  wish  in  Wash- 
ington to  build  up  a  Democratic  fetish  for  the  people  to 
vote  for  at  the  next  presidential  election.  For  that 
reason  McClellan — all  the  more  so  because  he  has 
lately  been  victorious — will  be  deposed  from  command. 
Do  you  suppose  Mr.  Secretary  Stanton  will  let  a  gen- 
eral remain  who  has  branded  him  with  the  sentence : 
"You  have  done  your  best  to  sacrifice  this  army  J  "  * 

*  See  The  Army  in  the  Civil  War,  Vol.  V.,  Antietam  and  Freder* 
icksburgh,  by  General  Francis  Winthrop  Palf  ry.— ED. 


106  MLLV   HAMILTON. 


"But  McClellan  has  the  army  behind  him." 
•'  That  would  count  for  everything  were  Little  Mac 
a  man  like  Bonaparte.  McClellan  now  is  in  the  posi- 
tion to  play  the  Csesar.  Quite  curiously,  the  Abolition 
Republicans  —  and  a  lot  of  the  Jacobin  press  —  have 
made  it  possible  for  him  to  play  that  role,  and  play  it 
as  a  patriot.*  Let  him  walk  into  Washington  and 
say:  'Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found 
wanting,  I  proclaim  a  provisional  government,'  —  he 
has  the  power  to  do  so,  for  the  moment  any  way  ; 
what  the  country  at  large  would  do  afterwards  I  don't 
propose  to  speculate  upon.  But  I  have  heard  such 
whispers  from  the  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
that  I  know  that  McClellan  has  only  to  hint  —  nay 
more,  not  to  restrain  them  —  and  they  will  follow  him 
to  Washington  the  moment  he  has  been  deposed  from 
command,  to  ask,  with  the  loud  and  potent  voice  of  a 
hundred  thousand  veterans  :  '  What  is  the  matter  with 
our  victorious  general  ?  '  f  He  could  pose  as  a  patriot, 
and  if  he  wins  the  war,  be  considered  the  saviour  of  his 
country,  not  only  against  the  politicians  in  the  capital, 
but  against  the  Southern  Confederacy.  But  if  I  know 
anything  of  the  man,"  adds  Vermilye,  "Little  Mac  is 
too  good  a  soldier,  too  great  a  patriot,  and  too  conserv- 
ative a  gentleman  to  take  by  the  force  of  bayonets 
what  the  gods  have  given  to  a  Caesar.  Therefore  he 
will  be  deposed  ;  therefore  he  will  resign  his  command  ; 
therefore  he'll  be  crushed!  Were  Stanton,  McClellan, 
and  McClellan,  Stanton,  I  might  predict  a  different 
ending.  Consequently,  I  say  to  you,  if  you  have  been 
so  unfortunate  as  to  have  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  the  sooner  for  your  own  success  in 
life  you  take  off  your  shoulder-straps  and  go  to  work 
at  something  else  than  soldiering  the  better  for  you. 

*  See  New  York  Republican  journals  of  that  time  (1862)  ;  note  the 
hints  in  Harper's  Weekly,  about  a  provisional  government  being 
necessary  ;  read  the  editorials  of  Horace  Greeley.  Unless  these  were 
the  ravings  of  lunatics,  they  meant  that  the  government  in  Washing- 
ton was  so  inefficient,  so  absolutely  incapable  of  fighting  a  victorious 
war,  that  it  should  be  deposed  by  somebody.  —  ED. 

t  It  has  been  creditably  reported  that  immediately  on  McClellan's 
removal  from  command  after  Antietam  there  was  a  meeting  of  the 
officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  called  to  do  this  very  thing,  and 
had  it  not  been  for  McClellan's  own  personal  entreaties  and  influence, 
k  would  have  been  done  —  ED. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  IO? 

Of  course  this  is  confidential,"  whispers  the  artillery- 
man. 

"As  one  brother  to  another,"  I  say,  and  make  him 
happy  with  the  speech,  though  I  add  glumly  :  "  I  do 
not  think  I  shall  take  your  advice  ;  at  all  events,  not 
till  I  have  gone  to  Washington  and  seen  what  is  before 
me." 

"Very  well,  every  one  makes  his  own  bed,"  returns 
my  chum  philosophically,  "and  I've  got  to  see  about 
making  mine  now." 

So  Vermilye  goes  with  me  to  the  Baltimore  depot 
and  bids  me  bon  voyage. 

Two  hours  after  I  am  in  Washington,  and  taking  up 
my  quarters  in  my  F  Street  boarding-house,  discover 
that  my  provost-marshal  fame  has  preceded  me,  and 
I  am  regarded  not  only  as  an  intense  Union  man,  but 
as  a  tremendous  cut-the-throat  hater  of  all  Southerners. 

Mrs.  Lorimer,  my  landlady,  as  she  greets  me  at  the 
front  door,  whispers  :  "We  read  in  the  papers  about 
you,  my  noble  boy,  in  that  hot-bed  of  secession.  I 
was  afraid  from  what  the  Baltimore  Comet  said,  you 
might  be  assassinated  on  the  streets  of  that  town  for 
your  intense  loyalty." 

Mrs.  Lorimer  poses  as  the  widow  of  a  dead  diplo- 
matist and  declares  she  has  been  ruined  by  the  aboli- 
tion of  slavery  in  the  District  of  Columbia  ;  though  as 
she  has  been  engaged  in  the  boarding-house  business 
for  twenty  years,  this  measure  of  the  government  can 
hardly  have  affected  her  social  status.  At  all  events, 
it  hasn't  affected  her  patriotism,  as  noting  on  which 
side  her  bread  is  buttered,  her  best  front  parlor  being 
rented  to  Miss  Lucy  Albemarle,  the  beauty  of  the  Treas- 
ury office  and  putative  niece  of  the  sturdy  Union  Con- 
gressman Cobblestone,  whose  influence  has  obtaned 
for  Miss  Albemarle  that  appointment,  and  her  other 
guests  being  mostly  of  northern  proclivities  and  senti- 
ments, Mrs.  Imogene  Lorimer  is  now  shouting  for  the 
Star  Spangled  Banner  as  loudly  as  any  boarding- 
house-keeper  in  Washington. 

Further  evidences  of  my  fame  as  an  intense  Unionist 
come  to  me  at  the  supper  table  that  evening.  Two 
New  England  girls,  clerks  in  the  Interior  department, 
congratulate  me  upon  my  war-record,  and  a  fascinating 
\vidow,  whose  chief  occupation  is  lobbying  contractor's 


IDS  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

bills  through  congress  by  her  smiles  upon  its  members, 
glances  at  me  and  suggests,  rather  flirtatiously:  "I 
suppose,  now  that  the  Baltimore  girls  have  turned 
their  backs  on  you,  you  will  thoroughly  enjoy  feminine 
Washington  society. "  This  is  emphasized  by  a  look 
of  her  lustrous  and  drooping  eyes  that  have  been  very 
effective  upon  legislators  during  the  last  session. 

But  little  Napoleon  Finnaker,  of  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  office,  perchance  thinking  to  add  to  his  own 
military  splendor  and  glory  by  my  patriotism,  rises 
from  his  place  at  the  dining-table,  and  walking  over, 
taps  me  on  the  shoulder,  and  says  loudly  and  patron- 
izingly :  "We've  been  talking  about  you  in  the  War 
Department,  Captain  Hamilton." 

"  Indeed  !  "  I  say  surprised. 

"Yes!  You've  been  doing  great  things  in  that 
secession  haunt,  and  doing  them  nobly.  Provost- 
Marshal  in  Baltimore!"  His  voice  is  a  roar.  "By 
the  stars  and  stripes,  how  your  secession  relatives  must 
have  ground  their  Rebel  teeth  when  you  captured  those 
three  Confederate  sympathizers!  How  all  your  Balti- 
more friends  must  love  you  I  Oh,  Yankee  Doodle  !  I 
think  I  see  papa's  glance,  and  also  hear  Miss  Virgie's 
and  Miss  Birdie's  kind  words  to  their  Union  brother. 
The  papers  here  state  that  you  were  requested  to  leave 
Mrs.  Coleman's  dance  the  night  your  appointment  was 
published.  I  hope  you  insulted  a  few  of  those  damned 
blue-blood  copperheads.  I  would,  you  bet !  You  see, 
there's  a  kindred  feeling  between  us  two,  both  out-and- 
out  fighters  and  both  cutoff  from  active  service.  You, 
by  your  parole  ;  I,  by  the  tears  of  a  widowed  mother. 
By  John  Brown's  body  !  I  never  get  down  to  the  Long 
Bridge  but  I  have  a  terrible  struggle  to  hold  myself 
from  going  over  into  Virginia  and  having  another  crack 
at  the  Rebs." 

"Yes,  you  haven't  had  that  pleasure  lately,"  I  re- 
mark sarcastically,  Mr.  Finnaker's  suggestions  about 
Baltimore  friends  and  relatives  making  me  inclined  to 
be  surly  with  him. 

"Yes  I  Not  since  Pope's  Second  Battle  of  Bull  Run. 
Then,  I  rode  to  the  front  and  as  usual  had  a  horse  shot 
vnder  me.  Didn't  I.  Mrs.  Lorimer?" 

This  last  is  in  savage  interrogation  to  the  landlady 
who  is  indulging  in  a  quiet  feeble  snicker,  having  surrep- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  109 

titiously  served  Mr.  Finnaker's  breakfast  to  him  in  bed 
on  the  morning  of  the  Second  Bull  Run,  that  hero  hav- 
;>ng  spent  that  day  quivering  between  bed-clothes. 

But  no  matter  what  the  opinions  of  Mrs.  Lorimer  and 
her  guests  are  in  regard  to  Mr.  Finnaker's  war-record, 
there  apparently  is  none  in  regard  to  mine,  when  I  re- 
port at  Secretary  Stanton's  office  on  Saturday  morning, 
for  I  am  very  warmly  received  by  the  officers  in  wait- 
ing and  congratulated  on  my  Baltimore  record. 

After  dawdling  away  my  time  among  reporting  staff 
officers,  eager  army  contractors  and  people  with  griev- 
ances of  all  kinds,  from  the  mother  of  a  deserter  who 
has  been  sentenced  by  court-martial  to  be  shot,  to  a 
congressman  who  is  kicking  about  a  transportation 
contract,  for  my  affair  now  seems  to  be  routine  busi- 
ness, old  Madison  shows  me  in  once  more  to  the  office 
from  which  I  had  departed  pursued  by  official  anath- 
ema. 

In  reply  to  my  salute,  Mr.  Secretary  Stanton,  who 
had  reviled  me  on  my  departure,  receives  me  quite 
affably  upon  my  return  to  Washington. 

"Having  proved  you,  I  know  I  can  trust  you  now, 
Captain  Hamilton,"  he  says,  regarding  me  quite  be- 
nignly through  his  glasses  and  stroking  his  long  beard 
contemplatively. 

"Proved  me?"  I  stammer.  "I  do  not  understand. 
Why  trust  me  more  now,  Mr.  Secretary,  than  you  did 
before  ?  " 

"  Because  I  have  put  you  through  the  furnace,  and 
you  have  come  out  molten  gold.  When  I  signed  the 
order  making  you  Special  Provost-Marshal  of  Mary- 
land, where  your  father  and  your  family  and  the  friends 
of  your  youth — all  rabid  secessionists — were  living  and 
plotting,  I  said  :  "  If  he  stands  this,  there's  no  further 
doubt  of  the  unhesitating  loyalty  of  Captain  William 
Hamilton." 

"And  you,"  I  mutter,  "have  cut  me  off  from  my 
family — my  friends  ?  They  hate  me  worse  than  if  I 
were  a  Northern  soldier." 

There  is  a  desperation  in  my  voice  that  seems  to  please 
him. 

"And  made  you  all  the  better  Union  man  for  it/ 
he  laughs.  "If  you  could  resist  their  entreaties  to 
lean  to  the  Rebel  cause,  and  have  stood  up  under  thek 


IKO  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

contempt  and  contumely  for  not  doing  so,  I  can  trust 
you  in  the  middle  of  Lee's  Rebel  army.  They  hate 
you — you  hate  them  :  that  is  the  proper  kind  of  war 
feeling  :  the  better  hater,  the  better  warrior.  Apropos 
of  that,  until  you're  exchanged,  I  want  a  man  who  can 
resist  bright  eyes,  for  a  certain  purpose.  You  will  re- 
main in  Washington,  under  full  pay." 

"  And  my  duties  ?  " 

"  They  will  be  explained  to  you  when  the  time  comes. 
Do  them  well,  and  I  forget  your  indiscreet  answers  to 
Stonewall  Jackson's  questions  before  he  captured  Har- 
per's Ferry." 

Wondering  what  the  deuce  he  wants  of  me,  I  half 
laugh  :  "  Thank  you  for  a  very  pleasant  way  of  spend- 
ing the  days  of  my  parole,"  and  turn  to  leave  him. 

But  he  calls  me  back  to  him  and  remarks:  "You 
must  look  to  me  for  promotion.  He  who  stands  by 
me,  I  stand  by  him." 

"Thank  you  once  more,  Mr.  Secretary,"  I  reply, 
saluting  ;  and  leave  him  gazing  affably  after  me. 

As  why  should  not  he  ?  For  in  his  pocket  he  has  a 
document  that  brought  a  shriek  of  discontent,  a  mutter- 
ing of  rage,  from  a  hundred  thousand  veterans  en- 
camped in  Virginia — the  order  for  his  enemy's,  but  their 
beloved  general's  official  head. 

Getting  out  from  this  interview,  I  stand  for  a  mo- 
ment on  the  lawn  in  front  of  the  old  three-story  brick 
building,  with  its  white  facings  and  semicircular  win- 
dow heads,  which  at  that  time  was  known  as  "  The  War 
Department,"  the  white  columns  in  front  of  it  contrast- 
ing strongly  with  the  prevailing  gray  of  its  time-worn 
brick,  and  wonder  what  the  devil  Mr.  Stan  ton  wants  me 
to  do  that  will  require  me  to  resist  bright  eyes. 

Suddenly  a  shudder  goes  through  me.  Can  it  be  any- 
thing connected  with  the  subject  about  which  he  spoke 
to  me  before — my  captive  of  that  night  on  the  Potomac  ? 

Then  I  speculate;  "  Shall  I  meet  her?"  and  look 
round  at  this  great  city  of  the  war — this  capital  sur- 
rounded by  an  armed  encampment — this  place  where 
the  delights  of  peace,  the  fetes  of  fashion,  the  beauty 
of  ladies,  mingle  with  the  rumbling  of  artillery  wag- 
ons, the  tramp  of  marching  regiments,  and  the  rattle 
of  ambulances  as  they  glide  to  the  military  hospitals  ? 

Standing  where  I  am,  the  city  makes  a  beautiful  but 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  Ill 

varied  panorama,  Immediately  to  my  right,  set  back 
in  its  grounds,  is  the  White  House,  seeming  very  bright 
this  sunny  day — where  Abraham  Lincoln,  with  all  the 
cares  of  a  nation  in  its  death-grapple  upon  his  shoul- 
ders, still  maintains  that  calm  serenity,  that  pleasant 
bonhomie,  that  enable  him  to  give  tears  and  sympa- 
thy to  the  suffering  soldier,  jovial  Western  anecdotes 
and  backwoods'  parables  to  besieging  politicians,  and 
ofttimes  sound  military  advice,  told  with  homely  com- 
mon sense,  to  his  erring  generals.  Beyond  that,  looms 
the  Treasury  Department. 

Directly  in  front  of  me  across  Pennsylvania  Avenue 
stands  the  building  that  is  now  known  as  Corcoran's 
Art  Gallery,  but  at  this  time  is  occupied  by  the  Quar- 
termaster-General of  the  United  States  Army.  To  the 
right  of  this  is  Lafayette  Square,  with  its  colossal  Jack- 
son statue  amid  pretty  plants  and  parterres. 

Just  across  Seventeenth  Street,  on  the  corner  imme- 
diately to  the  west  of  the  War  Department,  is  that  well- 
known  old  brick  bar-room  that  we  used  to  call  Mulloy's, 
I  think,  a  resort  celebrated  in  those  days  as  being  the 
drinking-place  of  generals — chiefly  political  brigadiers. 

Adjoining  this,  further  to  the  West,  in  the  direction 
of  Georgetown,  are  a  number  of  small  cigar-stores,  low 
groggeries  and  places  of  disreputable  savor  gradually 
growing  more  disreputable  as  they  approach  the  low 
flats  towards  the  Potomac,  until  they  reach  their  apogee 
of  disrepute,  crime,  drunkenness  and  lewdness  in  the 
district  immediately  surrounding  the  great  Quarter- 
master's stores  on  Twenty-second  and  G  Streets,  whose 
immense  warerooms  run  pretty  close  to  the  Potomac, 
where  they  join  the  extensive  yards  upon  the  river- 
bank  filled  with  the  lumber  and  marine  supplies  of  the 
Quartermaster's  Department.  Back  of  these  is  the 
Potomac,  and  beyond  its  muddy  stream  the  Virginia 
hills,  crowned  with  their  outlying  forts  and  decorated 
with  the  white  encampments  of  protecting  Union  troops. 

On  my  right  hand,  in  great  contrast  to  the  squalor 
of  the  low  grounds  towards  the  West,  runs  the  same 
great  avenue,  but  it  leads  to  fashion,  wealth,  and  the 
struggling  concourse  of  the  better  half  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  this  war-time  capital — the  great  centre  of  the 
hive — from  the  White  House  to  the  Halls  of  Congress. 

Carriages   roll   about  ;    in   them  beautiful   women. 


112  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

fashionably  gowned,  and  sometimes  more  sober  equi- 
pages carrying  cabinet-officers  or  foreign  ministers. 
Generals  and  staff  officers  prance  about  on  horseback, 
though  most  of  these  are  political  warriors,  who  have 
never  yet  smelt  powder,  and  never  will  if  they  can 
help  it. 

Along  the  sidewalks  throng  the  crowds  of  a  great 
military  capital.  Officers  and  soldiers,  of  the  local 
garrison  or  called  here  by  military  business,  con- 
trast greatly  with  the  hurrying  civilians,  though  their 
uniforms  of  dark  blue  mostly  show  the  signs  of  hard 
service  and  actual  war.  Government  contractors, 
who  are  nearly  all  very  bloodthirsty,  crying  for 
Southern  gore  with  their  mouths,  and  fleecing  with 
both  hands  the  public  purse,  each  of  them  doing 
the  damage  of  a  Rebel  regiment,  jostle  with  applicants 
for  office  of  all  kinds  and  the  general  political  bummers 
and  hangers-on  of  a  great  nation  which  is  giving  with 
lavish  hand  for  its  protection  and  its  existence — the 
scavengers  of  the  treasury.  Secession-sympathizers, 
slyly  glorying  at  each  victory  of  Lee  or  defeat  of  the 
Federals,  are  mixed  with  the  Union  masses,  the  great, 
strong  arms  which  upheld  this  country  in  her  travail, 
and  Jacobin  politicians,  calling  every  man  "  copper- 
head," but  themselves. 

These  are  now  leavened  with  numerous  department 
clerks,  both  male  and  female,  for  the  beauties  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  sometimes  yclept  its  "  courte- 
sans," many  of  them  being  proteges  and  cheres  amies  of 
Congressmen  and  Senators,  or  those  high  in  political 
power,  have  come  out  this  lovely  afternoon  to  give 
life,  beauty,  vivacity  and  wickedness  to  Pennsylvania 
Avenue. 

And  each  and  every  one  upon  those  crowded  streets, 
is  dominated  by  the  awful  war-time  passions  of  civil 
contest. 

Among  the  gentlemen-attache's  of  the  various  offices, 
I  note  little  Napoleon  Finnaker  strolling  from  the 
Quartermaster-General's  counting-rooms  opposite. 

As  I  walk  down  the  avenue  he  joins  me,  linking  his 
arm  in  mine  with  his  usual  assurance.  There  is  an  air 
of  mystery  about  the  dapper  creature  as  he  remarks, 
with  a  furtive  gesture  toward  the  War  Department : 
' '  We  did  a  great  thing  in  there  to-day. " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  113 

"  And  what  was  that  ?  "  I  ask  laughingly. 

His  answer  stuns  me. 

"  We  deposed  McClellan  from  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  and  put  in  Burnside." 

"  Impossible  !  "  I  gasp. 

"  Fact,  just  the  same.  Nobody  knows  it  but  a  few 
of  us,  who  are  the  inside  clique.  Keep  it  dark  !  " 

"  De — deposed  from  his  command  !  "  I  stammer,  as 
the  thought  flies  through  me  that  I  am  fortunate  in 
having  regained  Stanton's  favor. 

"Yes,  deposed — for  absolute  military  incapacity. 
Let  Lee  escape  from  him  after  Antietam.  By  the  Star- 
Spangled  Banner,  if  I  had  been  in  his  line  of  battle,  I'd 
have  shown  Little  Mac  a  wrinkle  or  two  !  Why  didn't 
he  press  Lee  ? — press  him  I  That's  the  tactic — PRESS 
HIM  !  Between  ourselves,  we  suspect  him  of  dis- 
loyalty. " 

At  this  news  I  give  a  sigh — as  over  one  hundred 
thousand  other  veterans  do  this  day ; — perchance 
guessing  at  the  military  incapacity  that  is  going  to 
doom  fourteen  thousand  of  them  to  useless  death  and 
wounds  in  that  great  Fredericksburg  slaughter-house 
blunder. 

Whereupon  little  Finnaker  looks  at  me  sternly.  He 
says  :  "A  word  of  advice  to  you,  my  cavalry  buck. 
If  you  want  to  get  in  out  of  the  wet,  drop  all  McClellan 
sentiment.  No  Democrat  is  going  to  get  very  far  in 
this  army,  without  a  pull-down.  Listen  to  me — I'm 
on  the  inside  !  " 

And  so  he  seems  to  be  ;  for  in  the  course  of  the  next 
week  or  two  I  discover  that  Napoleon  Finnaker  seems 
to  be  on  the  inside  of  everything.  War  Department 
secrets  in  some  way  drift  in  to  him  ;  social  news  is  at 
his  finger-ends.  For  he  is  quite  a  dandy  at  all  local 
balls  and  parties,  dancing  in  a  volunteer  uniform  that 
throws  a  brigadier-general's  into  the  shade.  For  this 
very  purpose  he  has  formed  and  recruited,  all  by  him- 
self, on  paper  in  distant  Illinois,  a  military  company — 
of  which  he  is  the  sole  member — and  having  elected 
himself  captain  of  the  same,  Napoleon  has  naturally 
selected  his  own  uniform,  which  is  gorgeous  beyond 
compare.  With  this  he  flourishes  at  social  functions, 
doing  the  heavy  military  swell  in  a  very  languid,  fin- 


114  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

nicky,  yet  at  times  ferocious  manner,  especially  aftef 
battles  fought  near  the  capital. 

His  babble  makes  the  stroll  down  the  avenue  a  short 
one,  for  he  knows  every  one,  and  our  walk  is  a  run- 
ning comment  from  him  on  passers-by. 

"  Look  there  !  Do  you  see  that  gal  ?  She's  Treas- 
ury— Division  C,  Room  Number  21.  Ah,  how  do  you 
do,  Miss  Albemarle  ?  "  and  he  takes  off  his  hat  and 
bows  to  the  department  beauty.  "  Our  star  boarder," 
he  babbles.  "You  see,  I  had  something  to  do  with 
her  appointment,"  he  whispers.  "  Lucy  Albemarle's 
particular  friend,  Congressman  Cobblestone,  implored 
me  to  use  my  influence.  If  you  want  to  get  on  Cob- 
blestone's right  side,  show  her  attention,  but  for  the 
Lord's  sake  don't  make  him  jealous;  the  aged  Con- 
gressman's like  a  sultan  when  the  boys  get  round  his 
putative  niece  ! "  and  the  little  fellow  goes  into  a 
hideous  guffaw.  Suddenly  he  cries  :  "  Oh,  by  George  ! 
there's  Mrs.  Senator  Rufus  J.  Bream  !  Her  equipage — 
that  one  dashing  up  the  avenue — two  white  horses. 
I  selected  them  for  her  :  I  am  said  to  be  the  best  judge 
of  horseflesh  in  Washington.  Rufus  is  a  great  chum 
of  mine  ;  has  supported  me  for  promotion  twice  with 
the  Quartermaster-General.  I  back  him  up  when  he 
makes  his  great  war  speeches.  He's  the  man  we  war 
officials  like ;  he  has  demanded  that  the  quota  of  troops 
from  every  State,  except  his  own,  be  increased.  You 
should  listen  to  his  eloquence  !  after  I  hear  him  I  feel 
like  cutting  Southern  throats,  cursed  if  I  don't." 

Under  this  gentleman's  tutelage,  I  stroll  down  the 
avenue,  being  introduced  by  him  right  and  left,  and 
chancing  to  meet  a  crony  of  his,  one  Henri  Dubois 
Arago,  a  handsome  young  Creole,  we  step  into  Wil- 
lard's  for  a  game  of  billiards. 

"  Mr.  Arago,  besides  holding  an  important  clerkship 
in  our  office,"  Napoleon  whispers  to  me  between  shots, 
"represents  a  syndicate  that  has  a  permit  from  us,  to 
buy  seized  and  confiscated  rebel  cotton  in  Louisiana. 
Arago's  as  black  a  Republican  as  Horace  Greeley,"  he 
adds  vivaciously,  "and  as  liberal  as  a  gold-broker 
with  his  cash." 

This  intense  Republicanism  in  a  man  from  Louisiana 
seems  to  me  a  little  curious,  though  this  is  easily  ap- 
parent, as  Arago  dispenses  lavisk  patriotism  with  a 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  1 15 

loud  yet  melodiously  sensuous  voice  to  his  surround- 
ing friends  and  liberal  tips  to  the  billiard  attaches  dur- 
ing our  hour's  exercise  with  cue  and  balls. 

Getting  away  from  this,  however,  I  at  last  find  my- 
self at  my  F  Street  boarding-house,  to  be  surprised  by 
a  card  requesting  the  pleasure  of  my  company  at  a 
soiree  dansante  at  Mrs.  Rufus  J.  Bream's,  on  Wednesday, 
the  twelfth  of  November. 

That  evening,  on  his  invitation,  in  company  with 
Mr.  Finnaker,  who  acts  as  guide,  and  Mr.  Arago,  who 
joins  us,  I  kill  time  in  the  Capitol,  seeing  a  play  at 
Ford's  Theatre  and  afterwards  dropping  a  treasury  note 
in  Chamberlin's  great  gambling-house,  where  at  last 
McClellan's  deposition  has  got  noised  about  late  at 
night.  Here  Napoleon  swells  around,  among  congress- 
men and  army  contractors,  remarking  :  "  We  of  the 
War  Department  did  it,"  and  introducing  me  as  a 
staunch  Maryland  Unionist  who  as  provost-marshal 
at  Baltimore  had  made  the  gilded  secesh  youth  of  that 
place  toe  the  loyal  line  and  sing  the  "Star-Spangled 
Banner"  and  "Yankee  Doodle"  instead  of  "Dixie." 

To  my  astonishment,  I  discover  that  nearly  every 
one  I  meet  seems  to  think  me  not  only  a  Union  man, 
but  a  personal  hater  of  every  Southerner  from  Jeff  Davis 
down  to  his  lowest  rebel  private. 

I  am  too  down-hearted  over  my  loss  of  boyhood's 
friends  and  my  father's  and  my  sisters'  love  to  take 
the  trouble  to  deny  this,  and  go  about  in  a  gloomy  and 
morose  manner  which  seems  to  add  to  the  impression 
that  I  am  a  stern  and  most  determined  loyalist. 

Leaving  Arago,  who  seems  an  inveterate  and  eager 
gambler,  still  engaged  over  the  board  of  green  cloth, 
where  his  eyes  sparkle  writh  love  of  gain  and  his  black 
frizzly  hair  and  jet  moustache  seem  to  bristle  with  excite- 
ment, little  Nap  Finnaker  and  I,  about  two  on  Sunday 
morning,  stroll  out  of  the  brilliantly  lighted  rooms  ou 
our  way  to  our  boarding-house. 

On  our  walk  home,  probably  some  recollection  of 
Mrs.  Bream's  invitation  turns  my  mind  to  my  shadowy 
fiancee.  How  will  Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ashley  regard  my 
vindictive  Unionism  ?  Perhaps  this  may  give  the  girl 
an  opportunity  she  may  have  been  longing  for,  an  ex- 
cuse to  break  off  the  slight  bond  that  connects  us,  and 
me  free — free  to  follow  the  girl  in  the  gray  riding;- 


Il6  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

habit.  Pshaw  !  what  good  will  that  do  me  ?  Is  not 
the  girl  in  the  gray  riding-habit  the  sweetheart  of  a 
Confederate  trooper?  As  we  stride  along,  I  ask  a  few 
questions  of  Mr.  Finnaker. 

"You're  as  much  aufait  with  society  as  you  are  with 
the  War  Department  ? " 

"Well,  rather,  my  boy  !  " 

"You're  an  intimate  friend  of  Mrs.  Senator  Rufus  J. 
Bream  ?  " 

"  You  bet !     Why  do  you  ask  ? " 

"I  have  an  invitation  from  that  lady  for  a  dance  at 
her  house  next  Wednesday." 

"Yes.  My  mention  of  your  name  probably  got  it 
for  you,  my  boy.  I  was  telling  her  last  night  of  your 
provost-marshal  adventure,"  is  the  confident  answer. 

"You  remember  a  ball  Mrs.  Bream  gave  some  two 
or  three  weeks  since?" 

"Well,  I  should  ejaculate!"  His  deep  voice  is 
strident  will  pride.  "What  I  don't  know  about  that 
ball  isn't  worth  knowing  !  " 

' '  Do  you  recollect  meeting  there  a  young  lady,  Miss 
Eva  Ashley  ? " 

"  Eva  Ashley,  the  belle  of  the  army?  Tra  la  la  la! 
I  danced  with  her  two  or  three  times  !  "  and  little  Fin- 
naker skips  about  humming  the  latest  waltz  ;  then  goes 
on  :  "I  tell  you  what,  my  cavalry  buck  !  she'd  suit 
you  !  Miss  Eva  is  as  pretty  as  a  new  Government 
ten-thousand-dollar  bond,  and  as  good  a  Unionist  as 
the  Goddess  of  Liberty  on  it !  " 

"As  good  a — a  Unionist?  "  I  stammer. 

"Well,  rather!  She's  Mrs.  Rufus  J.  Bream's  niece! 
When  she  first  came  to  Washington  a  few  months  ago, 
Miss  Pocahontas — she  comes  from  Virginia  you  know 
— was  inclined  to  be  a  leetle  offish  to  shoulder-straps, 
but  we  boys  in  blue  soon  brought  her  up.  Besides, 
living  in  his  family,  who  could  resist  the  inspired  elo- 
quence of  our  great  war  orator,  the  Senator  himself? 
Bream's  voice  is  almost  as  good  a  one  as  mine.  Miss 
Eva  is  now  the  belle  of  the  Quartermaster's  Depart- 
ment." 

"Ah,  and  flirts  with  every  brigadier  of  you,  I  pre- 
sume !  "  I  mutter  rather  savagely.  What  dog,  even  if 
he  doesn't  want  the  bone,  but  objects  to  any  other  cur 
having  it  I 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  I IJ 

"Well!  Hm— that  is— hm—hm— a  little.  She's  al- 
ways so  excited  about  our  army  movements,  you 
know.  Lord !  any  time,  I  will  talk  army  to  her,  I 
can  get  half  an  hour's  tete-a-tete.  She  is  so  inter- 
ested in  contemplated  movements,  the  disposition  otour 
army  corps  and  plans  of  our  generals,  don't  you  see. 
In  a  few  days  I  have  promised  to  take  her  through 
our  Quartermaster-General's  Department  and  let  her 
see  its  inner  workings.  Mrs.  Bream  will  act  as  her 
chaperon  e." 

But  I  make  no  answer  to  these  remarks  ;  1  am  too 
astonished  by  them  !  That  Miss  Eva  Ashley,  the 
daughter  of  an  old  Virginia  house,  connected  with  half 
the  leading  families  across  the  Potomac,  should  have 
become  a  dyed-in-the-wool  Unionist  astounds  me. 

Finally,  I  conclude  philosophically,  if  I  am  a  Union 
officer  why  shouldn't  she  be  a  loyal  girl?  Then  mutter 
disconsolately:  "Egad!  My  Baltimore  provost-mar- 
shalship  may  make  her  even  more  faithful  to  the  vows 
of  her  early  youth  than  before.  By  the  Lord  Harry, 
at  Mrs.  Bream's  dance  I'll  see  this  army  belle  and — and 
settle  my  matter  with  her  1  " 

With  this  rather  grim  reflection,  I  turn  in  and  go  to 
sleep,  even  amid  the  all-night  bustle  of  this  war-time 
capital,  for  several  new  batteries  of  light  artillery,  ap- 
parently ordered  to  reinforce  the  army,  are  rumbling 
through  the  streets  on  their  way  to  the  Long  Bridge  to 
cross  into  Virginia. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MR.    ARAGO'S   TREASURY  GIRL. 

ON  Sunday,  arising  late  in  the  day,  I  spend  most  of 
my  time  in  unpacking  my  baggage  and  arranging  for 
a  prolonged  stay  in  Washington,  engaging  for  this 
purpose  a  little  private  parlor  in  addition  to  my  bed- 
room. 

This  done,  I  stroll  to  Willard's,  to  find  the  town  ex- 
cited over  the  news  of  McClellan's  removal  from  com- 
mand, such  reports  coming  of  the  rage  and  anguish 
of  his  army  at  being  deprived  of  their  beloved  chief  as 


Il8  BILLY   HAMILTON,, 

make  a  good  many  high  in  authority,  in  Washington 
this  day,  bear  very  white  and  anxious  faces. 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  however,  I  discover  I 
have  an  affair  on  my  hands  that  for  the  moment  drives 
all  else  out  of  my  thoughts. 

Coming  down  to  a  languid  and  late  breakfast,  I  find 
on  my  plate  several  letters,  bearing  the  Baltimore  post- 
mark. 

Noting  these,  little  Finnaker,  whose  eyes  seem  every- 
where,  forgets  his  omelette  and  coffee,  and  remarks 
joyously  yet  jeeringly:  "Good  news  from  home,  eh?" 
and  rubs  his  hands  gleefully.  "Papa  sends  his  bless- 
ing and  the  young  ladies  their  kindest  wishes  to  the 
Union  Provost-Marshal,  eh?" 

But  I  am  too  busy  over  my  correspondence  to  break 
his  cursed  head,  which  is  my  first  impulse. 

As  I  read,  I  discover  a  crisis  has  come  in  my  family, 
and  that  Arthur  Vermilye  and  Birdie  Hamilton  will 
very  shortly  elope. 

In  the  afternoon,  trying  to  get  out  of  my  head  this 
matter,  in  which  I  can  do  no  good  by  personal  inter- 
ference, and  may  do  much  harm,  I  saunter  down  to 
see  Lieutenant  Harrod,  of  my  troop.  This  young 
officer,  during  his  parole,  is  employed  as  Under-Quarter- 
master  in  the  great  Government  Storehouse  on  twenty- 
second  and  G  Streets. 

As  I  pass  the  office  of  the  War  Deparment,  I  can't 
help  wondering  what  curious  mission  Mr.  Secretary 
Stanton  intends  to  employ  me  upon.  Somehow  I  grow 
eager  to  discover  it. 

A  moment  later,  passing  Malloy's  Generals'  Bar-Room 
at  the  corner,  I  observe  Mr.  Henri  Arago  saunter  out 
of  the  cigar  store  just  beyond  it.  This  place  has  been 
pointed  out  to  me  as  frequented  by  secession-sym- 
pathizers, probably  on  account  of  its  immediate  prox- 
imity to  Mulloy's  bar-room  ;  its  hangers-on  hoping  to 
pick  up  stray  bits  of  military  information  from  the  con- 
vivial chat  of  Union  officers  over  their  whisky,  most 
of  which  will  drift  across  the  Potomac  by  underground 
mail-routes  to  Lee  and  other  Southern  generals. 

Mr.  Arago  has  apparently  been  in  the  place  buying 
a  cigar,  for  he  is  lighting  one  as  he  comes  out.  As  he 
encounters  me,  he  seems  to  give  a  start  of  annoyance, 
though  a  moment  after  his  face  becomes  cordial. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  119 

With  effusive  greeting  he  offers  me  a  Havana  from 
his  case,  remarking:  "Captain  Hamilton,  these  are 
the  finest  Bouquets  Especiales  in  Washington.  Permit 
me  to  give  you  a  local  hint  ;  if  you  want  a  good  cigar, 
Bermudas  in  there  will  sell  it  you,  especially  if  you 
mention  my  name.  I  don't  give  this  information  to 
many  people,  otherwise  the  thieving  Don  would  raise 
the  price  on  me." 

Accepting  and  lighting  up,  I  find  the  cigar  a  mag- 
nificent one. 

"You  passed  a  very  pleasant  Sunday,  I  hope,  Mr. 
Arago,"  I  say  carelessly. 

"  Yes  ;  but  a  curious  one  for  me.  I  went  to  church 
in  the  evening." 

"  I  presume  you  had  an  attraction  ?  " 

"Well,  yes  ;  I  escorted  Mrs.  Senator  Bream  and  her 
niece." 

' '  Ah,  Miss  Ashley  !  I  believe,  is  very  pretty  1 "  I  re- 
mark. 

At  my  words,  for  one  moment,  a  peculiar  startled 
and  agitated  look  flies  over  Arago's  sensitive  Creole 
features.  Then  suddenly  his  eyes  glow,  with  the 
light,  I  think,  of  passion. 

"Miss  Ashley  is  very  beau-ti-ful,"  he  says  softly  and 
lingeringly,  as  a  ring  of  blue  vapor  floats  out  from  his 
rather  sensuous  lips;  "but  au  revoir.  I  am  behind 
my  time  already  at  the  Quartermaster-General's, "  and 
suddenly  bidding  me  good-bye,  he  hastily  crosses  the 
street  to  take  his  place,  I  presume,  at  his  desk  in  the 
Government  office. 

I  carelessly  wonder  if  Arago  is  smitten  by  the  charms 
of  Miss  Ashley  ;  for  several  passing  expressions  I  have 
caught  from  other  officers  and  gentlemen  in  the  last 
day  or  two  have  conveyed  to  me  the  idea  that  my 
putative  fianc'ee  is  very  popular  in  Washington  society. 

A  few  minutes  afterward  I  turn  off  the  avenue,  and 
going  down  Twenty-second  Street  make  my  way 
through  long  trains  of  army  wagons,  even  now  loading 
with  supplies  for  the  front,  many  of  them  driven  by 
half-drunken  teamsters,  and  approach  the  Quartermas- 
ter's immense  storehouses. 

In  this  vicinity  I  am  impressed  by  two  things  :  first, 
the  generous  provision  of  the  Government  for  the  wants 
of  its  great  army  ;  second,  the  enormous  preparations 


1*0  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

to  despoil,  of  both  virtue  and  money,  the  eight  thou« 
sand  attaches,  clerks,  laborers  and  enlisted  men  that 
toil  in  this  Government  hive,  in  surrounding  debauch- 
ery, prepared  for  them  in  the  numerous  low  haunts 
of  drink  and  women  that  are  entrenched  about  Uncle 
Sam's  depot ;  two  sides  of  a  great  square  being  one 
mass  of  the  lowest  kind  of  army  groggeries  and  camp 
women's  houses.* 

In  the  Depot  Quartermaster's  office  I  am  heartily 
greeted  by  my  first  lieutenant.  Campaigning  together 
has  made  us  strong  friends.  In  answer  to  my  inqui- 
ries, Harrod  informs  me  that  Cartwright,  the  Junior 
Lieutenant  of  the  troop,  has  a  desk  in  the  Quarter- 
master General's  main  offices  during  his  parole  ;  that 
most  of  the  members  of  the  troop  until  exchanged  are 
being  employed  on  various  duties  in  the  great  army 
depots  of  Washington,  and  that  Sergeant  Lommox,  who 
had  escaped  with  despatches  from  me  the  night  I  had 
been  captured,  is  now  acting  as  mounted  orderly  at  the 
Quartermaster-General's  office. 

With  most  of  this  I  am  already  acquainted,  as  the 
powers  that  be  have  already  informed  me  that  they 
wish  to  keep  my  troop  intact  until  exchanged  •  then 
add  it  in  a  body  to  our  regiment,  which  is  now  at  the 
front,  minus  Troop  A. 

Even  while  they  are  talking,  among  the  various 
orderlies  arriving  with  the  numerous  requisitions  for 
supplies,  Lommox  comes  riding  up,  and  pulling  from 
his  waist-belt  an  order  from  the  Quartermaster-General, 
goes  in  with  it  to  the  Depot-Quartermaster. 

Two  minutes  afterward  the  gallant  Irishman  joins 
me  and  Harrod,  and  saluting,  says:  "Begorra! 
Happy  I  am  to  see  you  alive,  Cap,  though  I  had  a 
close  shave  of  it  meself  after  I  left  the  little  bridge. 
A  hull  Rebel  regiment  let  loose  on  me  an'  I  had  to 
jump  the  fences  and  take  to  the  fields.  Musha,  I  think 
I  must  have  flanked  a  hull  brigade  of  Rebs.  When  I 
saw  their  force  I  gave  you  and  the  rest  of  the  boys  up 
for  lost. " 

*  Near  Twenty-second  and  G  Streets,  Headquarters  of  the  Depot 
Quartermaster,  two  sides  of  an  entire  square  were  occupied  by  the 
lowest  groggeries,  wherein  at  all  hours  of  the  night  could  be  seen  the 
common  soldier,  the  teamster  and  the  mechanic.— Lafayette  C. 
Baker's  Secret  Service.— ED. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  121 

"Well,  we  were  captured  while  you  escaped,"  I 
remark. 

"Sure,  an*  it's  little  good  that  did  me.  I'd  jist  as 
well  be  paroled  as  the  rest  of  yez.  Instead  of  riding 
down  Rebels,  I  am  only  using  a  fine  charger  to  gallop 
up  and  down  F  Strate  with  requisitions  for  supplies 
and  transportation,  whin,  after  Antietam,  I  hoped  to 
be  fighting  under  Little  Mac.  But  divil  a  chance  I'll 
get  now,  they've — they've  cut  poor  Mac's  head  off." 
And  tears  came  in  the  honest  trooper's  eyes. 

"  Well,  we'll  be  exchanged  soon,"  says  Harrod 
cheerily. 

"That's  what  I  am  hoping,"  remarks  Lommox. 
"for  it  comes  hard  on  to  me  to  take  orders  from  little 
upshtart  Government  clerks  who  have  never  raised 
sabre  or  pulled  trigger,  and  I  could  baste  the  life  out  of 
'em  with  one  little  hand."  He  extends  an  enormous  paw 
and  goes  on  savagely,  "Ther's  that  little  Napoleon 
Finniky  !  Some  day  when  he  puts  on  style  wid  me, 
I'll  be  knocking  his  head  against  the  side  of  the  War 
Office  ! " 

' '  For  God's  sake,  don't  do  that  !  "  I  say,  laughing. 
"There's  the  guard-house  here  as  well  as  a  guard-tent 
at  the  front." 

' '  Divil  take  me  !  Don't  I  know  that  as  well  as  any 
of  yez  ?  Begorra,  it's  always  full  here  !  "  remarks  the 
Sergeant,  as,  with  a  grin,  he  mounts  his  horse  and  gal- 
lops on  his  way  to  headquarters. 

A  few  minutes  after,  Harrod  getting  leave  of  absence, 
anxious  to  get  away  from  the  interminable  din  of  this 
Government  beehive,  we  stroll  out  from  it,  and  saunter 
down  towards  the  Potomac  through  the  great  piles  of 
lumber,  pontoons,  rigging  and  marine  army  stores, 
which  have  been  accumulated  for  Government  use. 

"I  imagine  we'll  be  sending  a  lot  of  these  to  the 
front  soon,"  remarks  Harrod,  tapping  one  of  the  pon- 
toons. 

"Indeed  I     Why  ?"     I  ask  carelessly. 

"  There's  a  rumor  somehow  got  round  here  that  the 
army  under  Burnside  is  going  to  Richmond  by  way  of 
Fredericksburg. " 

But  I  pay  little  heed  to  this,  as  we  very  shortly  get  to 
discussing  the  various  members  of  my  troop,  whether 
they  can  all  be  got  together  in  a  hurry,  for  both  of  us 


122  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

have  a  latent  hope  of  quick  exchange  and  active  work 
at  the  front.  I  ask  individually  after  the  members  of 
my  command,  for  an  officer  who  does  not  take  a  per- 
sonal interest  in  his  men  will  never  get  efficient  service 
out  of  them.  Finally,  I  leave  Harrod,  after  inviting 
him  to  join  me  and  Cartwright,  our  Junior  Lieutenant, 
at  a  supper  at  Wormley's  the  next  evening. 

With  this  idea  in  my  mind,  I  return  to  the  Quarter- 
master-General's, to  find  Cartwright  at  work  at  a  Gov- 
ernment desk.  In  answer  to  my  inquiry  as  to  how  he 
likes  clerking,  my  young  fighting  lieutenant  smiles 
grimly  and  dashes  his  pen  away.  "  By  Kentucky  Tom- 
cats," he  snarls,  "I  feel  like  a  rooster  with  his  head  cut 
off.  What's  a  fello:y  good  for  without  a  sword  in  his 
hand  now  ?  Do  you  reckon  that  dandy  Cock-a-doodle 
would  do  much  towards  helping  us  lick  Jeff  Davis  ?  " 
and  he  points  to  little  Finnaker  who  is  pushing  his  way 
to  me  and  calling  out  :  ' '  How  are  you,  Provost-Mar- 
shal?" Then  Cartwright  asks  eagerly  about  our 
chances  of  early  exchange,  and  accepts  my  invitation 
to  meet  Harrod  and  myself  the  next  evening. 

It  is  growing  dark  as  I  leave  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  Office  and  go  to  Wormley's  to  make  my 
arrangement  for  a  convival  evening  with  my  two  sub- 
alterns. Finding  I  am  late  for  supper  at  Mrs.  Lorimer's, 
I  remain  in  the  restaurant  and  dine  there,  and  coming 
out  from  this,  it  being  now  dusk,  receive  an  extraordi- 
nary surprise. 

I  have  turned  from  Pennsylvania  Avenue  and  am 
walking  on  one  of  the  more  quiet  streets.  Striding 
rapidly  along,  I  overtake  a  lady  and  gentleman  walk- 
ing in  front  of  me.  The  gloom  prevents  my  noticing 
anything  except  that  the  lady  is  very  graceful,  and  the 
man  apparently  young  and  vigorous.  Evidently  too 
interested  in  their  conversation,  for  they  are  speaking 
very  earnestly  together,  to  notice  anybody  else,  their 
ears  do  not  catch  my  overtaking  footsteps. 

Hesitating  to  jostle  them,  as  the  sidewalk  is  narrow, 
I  turn  out  and  cross  the  street.  As  I  do  so,  a  few 
words  in  a  familiar  voice  catch  my  ear.  They  are  : 
"Make  sure  I  will  give  the  despatch  to  Lommox." 
The  name  of  my  old  sergeant  attracts  my  attention. 
The  voice  is  that  of  Mr.  Arago  of  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  Office. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  123 

Arrived  on  the  opposite  sidewalk,  I  happen  to  glance 
at  them  again.  They  are  just  passing  under  the  gas- 
light. 

My  heart  gives  a  jump.  The  lady  he  is  speaking  to, 
as  well  as  I  can  discern  by  the  flickering  light,  is  my  ex- 
captive  of  the  Potomac.  For  a  moment  I  stand  uncer- 
tain. Then  1  am  sure  !  Have  I  not  seen  that  bright  face 
and  those  blue  eyes  lighted  up  dimly  by  camp-fire  on  the 
Potomac  ;  by  coal-oil  lamp  in  the  hotel  at  Frederick  ? 
After  a  moment's  consideration,  I  make  a  step  or  two 
to  overtake  her,  to  greet  her,  but  they  have  passed  on 
into  the  gloom.  The  rencontre  might  embarrass  her. 

I  go  to  my  boarding-house  wondering  what  the 
deuce  she  is  doing  here  in  Washington  ?  How  is  it 
she's  talking  to  Mr.  Arag-o  of  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  Office  ?  Why  has  he  mentioned  to  her  the 
name  of  my  sergeant?  Anyway,  I  can  now  discover 
her  name.  Arago  will  at  least  be  able  to  tell  me  that. 

I  go  to  Willard  s,  that  evening,  but  he  is  not  there, 
then  later  to  Chamberlin's.  Here  Mr.  Arago  is  losing 
some  of  the  booty  of  his  cotton  ventures  in  Louisiana, 
for  he  seems  to  be  in  a  very  bad  humor.  It  is  rather 
difficult  to  get  much  opportunity  for  conversation  with 
a  man  deep  in  the  mysteries  of  practical  Faro. 
Besides,  in  the  heterogeneous  crowd  of  even  the  best 
Washington  gambling-house,  any  mention  of  a  lady's 
name  would  be  almost  an  insult  to  her. 

However,  curiosity  drags  me  on,  and,  waiting  im- 
patiently, when  Mr.  Arago  ceases  play  for  a  few 
minutes  and  seats  himself  at  the  magnificent  supper- 
table,  where  a  feast  fit  for  Lucullus  is  served  to  the 
votaries  of  chance  each  night,  I  contrive  to  occupy  the 
chair  next  him. 

Over  our  meal,  I  incidentally  remark  :  "That  was  a 
rery  pretty  girl  I  saw  on  your  arm  this  evening. " 

For  a  moment  he  looks  at  me  surprised,  and  returns 
uneasily  :  "I  only  remember  meeting  you  this  morn- 
ing, Captain  Hamilton." 

"No,  it  was  too  dark,  and  you  were  too  interested 
to  see  me,"  I  whisper  laughingly.  "It  was  on  the 
corner  of  Thirteenth  and  E  Streets." 

For  half  a  second  his  moustache  twitches  ;  then  he 
mutters  :  "You  saw  her  face  ?  " 

"Only  sufficiently  to  know  that  she  is  beautiful." 


124  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Ah,  yes!  diable f  I  remember  now,"  he  laughs; 
then  sneers,  showing  his  white  teeth:  "Most  of  the 
young  ladies  in  Clark's  Printing  Department  of  the 
Treasury  are  pretty — very  pretty." 

A  suggestive  laugh  that  comes  up  from  one  or  two 
near-by  gamesters,  who  are  discussing  their  terrapin 
and  canvas-backs,  at  the  name  of  Clark's  Printing  De- 
partment young  ladies,  closes  my  lips,  for  at  this  time 
there  are  some  curious  and  horrible  rumors  floating 
about  Washington  in  regard  to  the  ladies  of  that  par- 
ticular department  of  the  Treasury.  Many  an  innocent 
girl  being  unjustly  judged  for  the  light  conduct  of  her 
sisters  in  office.* 

With  a  shudder,  I  think  :  "Can  it  be  possible  ?  Can 
she  be — ?  "  But  here  something  comes  into  my  heart 
that  tells  me  that  either  I  have  not  seen  my  lovely  ex- 
captive  of  the  Potomac  in  his  company,  or  that  Henri 
Dubois  Arago  is  an  infernal  cur  and  liar  1 " 

If  the  first,  all  right  ! 

If  the  second,  I  will  shove  his  cursed  insinuation 
down  his  throat  at  the  first  convenient  opportunity. 

But  going  home,  just  the  same  I  have  an  unpleasant 
night  of  it. 

*The  minority  report  presented  in  Congress,  in  1864,  presents  the 
following  picture  of  the  immoralities  which  prevailed  in  the  Treasury 
Department  at  that  time : 

"  These  affidavits  disclose  a  mass  of  immorality  and  profligacy, 
the  more  atrocious  as  these  women  were  employees  of  Clark,  hired 
and  paid  by  him  with  the  public  money.  These  women  seem  to  have 
been  selected,  in  the  Printing  Bureau,  for  their  youth  and  personal 
attractions.  Neither  the  laws  of  God,  nor  of  man,  the  institution  of 
the  Sabbath  nor  common  decencies  of  life  seem  to  have  been 
respected  by  Clark  in  his  conduct  with  these  women.  A  Treasury 
Bureau — there,  where  is  printed  the  money — representative,  or  ex- 
pressive of  all  the  property  and  of  all  the  industry  of  the  country, — 
there,  where  the  wages  of  labor  are  more  or  less  regulated,  and  upon 
the  faith  and  good  conduct  of  which  depends,  more  or  less,  every 
man's  prosperity — is  converted  into  a  place  for  debauchery  and 
drinking,  the  very  recital  of  which  is  impossible  without  violating 
decency.  Letters  go  thence,  to  clothe  females  in  male  attire  to  visit 
the  'Canterbury'  (a  notorious  dance-hall).  Assignations  are 
made  from  thence."  Sights  and  Secrets  of  the  National  Capital,  by 
Dr.  John  B.  Ellis. 

This  report  was  supported  by  numerous  affidavits. — ED. 


BILLY   HAMILTON. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BAKER'S  SECRET  SERVICE. 

THE  next  day,  filled  with  a  desire  to  be  sure  in  the 
matter  of  the  girl  I  saw  with  Arago,  I  use  the  acquaint- 
ance of  a  Treasury  official  whom  I  know  slightly,  and 
under  his  auspices  visit  that  department,  paying  par- 
ticular attention  to  Mr.  Clark's  Printing  Bureau  young 
ladies,  and  though  I  discover  many  lovely  faces  and 
graceful  figures  in  the  Treasury  building,  none  of  them 
are  the  beautiful  face  and  exquisite  form  for  which  I 
am  looking.  To  be  as  certain  as  possible  I  spend 
the  day  with  this  gentleman,  taking  him  to  lunch  with 
me  at  Willard's,  and  contriving  to  drop  with  him  into 
the  Bureau  several  times,  and  by  the  evening  have 
made  up  my  mind  that  it  is  practically  impossible 
that  the  young  lady  in  the  gray  riding  habit,  with 
whom  I  spent  those  pleasant  two  hours  at  Frederick, 
is  one  of  the  employees  of  Uncle  Sam's  Printing 
Bureau.  Ergo,  Henri  Dubois  Arago  is  a  liar,  but  after 
a  little  consideration  I  conclude  the  present  is  not  the 
time  to  shove  his  lie  down  his  throat. 

Concluding  my  investigation,  I  find  it  is  the  hour  of 
my  appointment  with  my  two  lieutenants  at  Wormley's. 
In  that  well-known  restaurant,  we  three  ex-warriors, 
whose  sword  arms  have  been  cut  off  by  our  parole, 
fight  our  battles  of  the  Tennessee  campaign  over  again. 
Our  closing  toast  is  :  "  May  we  soon  get  to  the  front." 

The  next  morning  I  receive  an  envelope,  the  con- 
tents of  which  give  me  a  start.  Coming  direct  from 
the  War  Department,  it  directs  me  to  report  to  Lafayette 
C.  Baker,  head  of  the  United  States  Secret  Service,  at 
his  office  forthwith.  With  this  comes  into  my  mind  a 
presentiment  of  the  duty  expected  of  me. 

Less  than  an  hour  afterwards  I  enter  that  place  of 
mouchards,  which  at  that  time  was  generally  despised 
by  military  men  for  its  arrogant  authority  and  frequent 
violation  of  constitutional  liberty  and  the  rights  of  the 
citizen,  even  in  extreme  Northern  states  far  removed 


X36  BILLY    HAMILTON, 

from  actual  war.  There,  closeted  with  the  head  of  the 
spy  bureau  and  general  dirty-work  department  of  the 
Secret  Service  I  find  to  my  disgust  that  I  have  too 
truly  guessed  the  mission  for  which  they  want  me. 

After  congratulating  me  upon  the  staunch  Unionism 
I  have  shown  as  provost-marshal  of  Baltimore,  that 
official,  I  believe  his  rank  was  Major,  goes  on  rapidly  : 
"  Captain  Hamilton  !  You  arrested  a  girl  at  the 
crossing  of  the  Potomac  on  September  4th,  the  night 
you  and  your  command  were  captured  by  Stonewall 
Jackson. " 

"Yes,  sir,"  I  answer. 

"That  young  woman  was  brought  to  the  hotel  at 
Frederick  with  you  ? " 

"  Certainly  !  We  were  both  held  as  prisoners  by  the 
Confederates." 

"  Two  of  my  detectives,  Joe  Shook  and  Rod  Gibbon, 
reported  to  me  afterwards  that  they  had  reason  to  think 
that  girl  was  a  rebel  spy  whom  they  were  in  pursuit  of 
that  very  night.  Do  you  know  the  woman's  name?  " 

"I  do  not,"  I  answer.  "As  my  captive  she  refused 
to  give  it  to  me." 

"Ah!" 

"She  also  declined  to  disclose  it  to  the  Confederate 
officer  who  had  charge  of  us  both  after  I  was  captured 
by  the  Rebels,"  I  add. 

"Humph!  That's  a  little  curious!"  mutters  my 
inquisitor. 

"It  would  be!"  I  reply.  "But  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that  she  was  travelling  with  the  intention  of 
visiting  her  sweetheart,  some  officer  of  Jeb  Stuart's, 
and  I  presume  didn't  care  for  army  gossip  to  make  too 
free  with  her  name." 

"  Shucks  !  What  reason  did  she  give  you  for  wish- 
ing to  cross  to  the  Virginia  side  ? " 

"She  said  she  was  going  to  visit  her  aunt  and 
mother  in  Leesburg." 

"  You  must  have  seen  her  in  Frederick,  she  stopped 
at  the  same  hotel.  Give  me  a  description  of  her. 

I  don't  like  his  blunt  manner.  He  is  addressing  me 
very  much  as  he  would  one  of  his  own  spies  ;  but  I 
answer  giving  him  promptly  the  same  false  description 
of  the  young  lady  as  I  gave  his  emissaries,  Shook  and 
Gibbon, 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  127 

"  Curse  it !  A  brunette  !  "  he  mutters,  a  disappointed 
look  in  his  face;  then  asks  eagerly:  "You  would 
know  her  again  ?  " 

"Certainly!" 

"Well!  I'll  be  candid  with  you,"  he  says.  "For 
months  we  had  have  reason  to  believe  that  in  some 
mighty  smart  way  z'nside-secreis  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment have  been  conveyed  to  the  Confederate  leaders. 
Now,  there  are  some  pretty  big  difficulties  in  doing  this 
thing,  I  flatter  myself.  First,  it's  mighty  difficult  to  get 
the  secrets  of  the  War  Department,  and  second,  its 
rather  hard  to  get  them  out  of  Washington  ;  but  some- 
body who  hasn't  cared  very  much  for  their  neck  has 
been  doing  it,  and  we  think  this  girl  is  about  the 
brightest,  cutest,  tarnationest,  smartest  critter  on  earth, 
and  has  had  something  to  do  with  it.  We're  sur- 
rounded here  by  any  quantity  of  half-way  Rebel  spies. 
A  good  portion  of  the  locals  of  this  town  are  secesh. 
Half  the  market-men  that  travel  in  with  produce  from 
the  surrounding  country  try  to  take  out  information 
with  them,  and  so  on  from  that  up.  The  wives  of  a 
few  of  the  Union  officers  we  can't  trust ;  they  are 
Southerners.* 

"But  this  makes  little  difference  to  us.  It  is  gen- 
era/  information,  and  Stonewall  Jackson  and  Lee  can 
guess  at  it  pretty  near  as  accurately  as  it  is  given  to 
them,  but  the  information  that  has  been  sent  across 
the  Potomac  by  means  of  the  person  I  am  speaking  of 
has  been  inside  vital  points  and  contemplated  move- 
ments that  have  been  very  valuable  to  the  Rebel  gen- 
erals. If  she  isn't  the  party,  we  don't  want  her ;  but 
if  she  is — ! "  he  snaps  his  great  jaws  together  and 
looks  the  unutterable  ! 

"  I  don't  think  she  can  be  the  one  you  want,"  I  reply. 

*  In  Richmond,  after  its  capture  and  occupation  by  the  Federal 
troops,  accurate  tracing-drawings  of  all  the  forts  and  fortifications 
about  Washington,  taken  from  the  absolute  military  maps  of  same 
made  by  the  Federal  engineers,  were  found  among  the  Rebel  docu- 
ments. They  were  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  the  wife  of  a 
prominent  U.  S.  engineer  officer,  taken  secretly  in  his  private  office  at 
dead  of  night,  and  transmitted  out  of  Washington  by  means  of  her 
brother.  This  lady  was  a  noted  secessionist,  though  her  husband 
was  one  of  the  staunches!  Federal  officers  that  helped  Uncle  Sam 
put  down  the  Rebellion. — ED, 


128  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  The  young  lady  herself  acknowledged  to  me  that  sha 
had  been  saucy  to  Stonewall  Jackson." 

' '  For  what  reason  ?  " 

"Well,  for  holding  her  a  prisoner  in  Frederick,  and 
not  permitting  her  to  go  and  see  her  aunt  and  her 
mother.  She  was  afterwards  sent  South  under  guard, 
it  was  creditably  reported  to  me,  suspected  of  being  a 
Union  spy." 

"Who  told  you  that?" 

"  An  officer  of  Stuart's  command." 

"  Cock-a-doodle  !  of  course  they'd  say  anything  to 
save  their  emissary."  Then  the  head  of  the  Detective 
Bureau  goes  on  with  a  grim  smile  : 

"Some  of  these  things  don't  go  very  well  together, 
young  man  !  Virginia  girls  are  not  in  the  habit  oi  being 
saucy  to  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  it  she  was  in  love  with 
the  Confederate  officer,  the  chances  are  she  is  a  thunder- 
ing big  Rebel  anyway.  At  all  events,  we  have  a  sus- 
picion that  some  one  moving  in  the  very  highest  so- 
ciety here,  by  means  of  personal  influence,  or  some 
other  damnable  art,  gets  hold  of  War  Office  secrets  and 
sends  them  across  the  Potomac,  and  whether  it  is  man 
or  woman  we  intend  to  have  'em.  Now  what  I  want 
you  to  do  is  to  look  about  Washington  society — your 
old  blue-blood  Baltimore  family  will  give  you  entre'e 
to  all  kinds  of  society  here,  both  Union  and  Rebel. 
You're  thundering  good-looking.  Hang  it,  I  think 
a  good  many  gals  'd  look  sweet  on  a  cavalry  fellow 
like  you!"  he  mutters  with  a  chuckle.  "And  if  you 
see  this  young  lady — I  notice  you  speak  of  her  as  a 
young  lady  of  birth,  education  and  breeding." 

"  I  do  !  "  I  reply,  "of  the  highest." 

"Well,  if  you  see  her  make  a  leetle  love  to  her — a 
few  conservatory  flirtations  ;  arm  around  the  waist, 
head  on  shoulder,  fountain  playing  softly,  band  music 
coming  faintly — you  young  army  chaps  understand," 
he  chuckled  in  grim  suggestiveness,  "  and — and  tell 
me  what  you  find  out  from  her.  Girls  in  sentimental 
moments  sometimes  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag,  even 
the  cutest  of  'em  show  a  bit  of  its  tail !  " 

This  cold-blooded  proposition  to  me  that  I  should 
obtain  a  young  lady's  confidence,  perhaps  even  win 
her  affections,  in  order  to  turn  her  over  to  his  brutal 
bands  and  stern  military  punishment,  makes  my  blood 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  129 

fly  into  my  face.  I  am  about  to  answer  hotly,  indig- 
nantly. Suddenly  I  become  cool  as  ice  ;  I  think  oiher  I 
The  art  of  a  diplomatist  comes  into  me.  I  reply  :  "  I 
understand  perfectly.  If  I  meet  the  young  lady  I  will 
report  to  you  everything  I  can  discover  about  her." 

"Very  well !  go  to  work  at  once.  There  is  a  party 
at  Mrs.  Rufus  J.  Bream's  this  evening.  Would  you 
like  me  to  get  you  an  invite  from  the  Senator?  He  is 
with  us  body  and  soul." 

"I  have  one  already,"  I  respond. 

"Very  well,  then!  Good-bye;  I've  got  a  heap  of 
business  to  take  care  of,  young  man  ! — half  a  dozen 
bounty-jumpers,  three  or  four  deserters,  two  or  three 
Potomac  mail-route  chaps,  and  an  English  officer 
who  has  been  trying  to  get  over  the  river  to  join  Lee's 
army  in  Virginia,  to  attend  to  this  morning.  Good-bye, 
let  me  know  all  that  you  can  discover,  and  quickly  •'" 

But  as  I  am  leaving,  he  steps  up  to  me  and  whispers  : 

"Efficiency  in  this  matter  won't  hurt  your  promo- 
tion in  the  army  !  " 

Getting  out  of  his  office  I  walk  down  the  street,  and 
going  to  one  of  the  squares,  take  a  breath  of  purer  air. 
The  ineffable  insult  of  asking  me,  an  army  officer,  to 
be  a  spy  upon  a  young  and  lovely  girl !  For  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  I  have  thoughts  of  throwing  up  my  com- 
mission. 

Suddenly  I  mutter  :  "  Resign  ?  NEVER  !  You  have 
made  me  a  spy.  Damn  you,  I  will  be  a  spy,  not  to  aid 
you  but  to  defeat  you  :  not  to  destroy  her,  but  to  save 
her ! " 

The  thought  of  a  pair  of  blue  eyes,  and  the  recol- 
lection of  the  soft  brown  hair  and  pretty  hand  of  the 
girl  as  she  played  with  Roderick's  mane  that  day  in 
Frederick,  the  sun  shining  on  her  and  outlining  her  ex- 
quisite figure  in  its  natty  gray  riding-habit,  comes  back 
to  me,  and  somehow  I  determine,  even  if  it  carries 
with  it  disgrace,  perhaps  ruin  to  me,  to  stand  between 
that  charming  personality,  whether  she's  another 
man's  sweetheart  or  my  own,  and  try  to  save  her 
from  the  web  being  drawn  about  her  pretty  self  that 
is  dangerous  to  her  liberty,  perhaps  even  to  her  life. 

My  first  step  in  this  matter  must  evidently  be  to  find 
her.  My  most  direct  means  of  communicating  with 
her,  if  my  suspicious  are  true,  is  through  Arago.  He  has 


130  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

evidently  lied  to  me  in  regard  to  her  being  one  of  tht 
Treasury  courtesans.  Was  this  intended  as  a  slui 
upon  her,  I  meditate  ? 

Suddenly  it  comes  to  me  :  "  No  !  it  was  to  prevent 
my  making  further  inquiry  about  her.  Arago  doesn't 
wish  attention  attracted  to  whatever  relations  he  may 
bear  to  this  young  lady." 

I  determine  to  investigate  this.  Somehow  a  detec- 
tive feeling  is  getting  into  my  veins. 

Two  hours  afterward,  at  Willard's,  I  have  the  chance 
of  making  my  test,  though  it  compels  me  to  open  my 
hand  quite  freely  to  Mr.  Henri  Dubois  Arago,  of  the 
Quartermaster  General's  office. 

That  gentleman  and  young  Mr.  Finnaker  are  play- 
ing a  game  of  billiards  with  disastrous  results  to  little 
Nap,  for  Arago  has  a  facile  Creole  touch  with  his  cue 
that  produces  many  French  caroms,  but  as  usual,  young 
Napoleon  is  trying  to  bluff  things  through.  They  are 
gambling  on  the  game,  Finnaker  betting  high  that 
Arago  will  miss  his  shot,  thinking  to  test  that  gentle- 
man's nerve,  and  losing  his  money  doing  it. 

I  stroll  up  to  their  table,  and  indulge  in  general  bil- 
liard-table conversation,  making  side-bets  myself  on 
some  shots. 

Soon  little  Napoleon,  whose  losses  have  made  him 
desperate,  offers  to  wager  a  twenty  dollar  bill  that 
Arago  cannot  make  his  next  point.  The  carom  is  one 
of  considerable  difficulty,  but  easily  within  the  Creole's 
powers.  I  have  seen  him  on  the  previous  afternoon 
make  similar  ones,  accurately  and  certainly. 

"You  will  lose  your  money,"!  laugh,  but  as  I  speak 
I  see  the  chance  of  testing  the  Creole' s  interest  in  the 
young  lady  about  whom  he  has  lied  to  me.  As  he  is 
preparing  for  the  effort,  little  Finnaker  fortunately  gives 
me  the  opportunity. 

"  By-the-bye,  Hamilton,  where  have  you  been  all 
day  ? "  he  cries,  rubbing  his  hands  and  looking  at  me. 
"You've  missed  it  !  You  might  have  come  in  and  bet 
against  Henri  before." 

"Oh!  I  had  some  personal  business  with  Baker's 
Secret  Service  office." 

"  Ah  !  look  out  for  them,  my  boy  !  "  laughs  little  Nap, 
chalking  his  cue.  "  But  then  you  are  on  the  inside  1 " 

"Yes  1  very  much  on  the  inside." 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  XJI 

"Your  Provost-Marshal  business,  I  presume,"  re« 
marks  Arago,  looking  up  from  his  cue  ball. 

"No,"  I  answer.  "  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  capture 
a  very  pretty  girl  on  the  Maryland  bank  of  the  Poto- 
mac one  night.  They  wish  me  to  hunt  her  up  and 
tell  them  if  I  see  her  in  Washington  society  !  " 

I  time  this  speech  to  strike  Arago  just  as  he  attempts 
the  shot. 

At  my  words  a  slight  but  convulsive  twitch  in  his 
arm  makes  his  billiard  essay  a  fiasco. 

"  By  Jove,  your  twenty  is  mine  !  "  laughs  Finnaker. 

"  Here,  take  it !  "  mutters  the  Creole,  in  a  half-startled 
half-dazed  tone.  Then  looking  at  me,  he  partly  opens 
his  lips  as  if  about  to  speak,  but  suddenly  turns  to  the 
billiard  table  and  continues  the  game  ;  though  from 
now  on  I  note  his  skill  seems  to  have  left  him,  and 
little  Nap  Finnaker  ends  the  contest  in  triumph. 

"You've  a  very  good  nerve,  Mr.  Arago!"  I  cogitate 
glumly,  "but  I  gave  your  ganglions  a  little  pinch 
that  surprised  them." 

On  my  way  home  to  Mrs.  Lorimer's  I  meditate  on 
this  matter.  Even  as  I  dress  for  Mrs.  Bream's  thoughts 
of  meeting  my  putative fiancee — Miss  Ashley — for  reports 
of  her  beauty,  loveliness,  chic  and  general  fascination 
have  come  to  me  from  so  many  lips  that  I  can't  help 
having  a  latent  curiosity  about  her — do  not  drive  Arago 
and  the  fleeting  vision  I  saw  under  the  gas-light  in 
Thirteenth  and  E  Streets  from  my  head. 

My  reasoning  upon  this  subject  brings  to  me  the 
following  startling  conclusions  :  First,  Arago  must 
have  reasons  for  wishing  his  relations  to  the  young 
lady — whatever  they  are — to  be  private  and  unob- 
served. Hence  his  enormous  lie  about  her  being  one 
of  the  Treasury  beauties. 

To  this  is  now  added  my  suspicion  that  he  is  aware 
of  the  young  lady  being  my  captive  of  that  night  on 
the  Potomac — otherwise,  why  did  my  remarks  about 
her  and  Baker's  Secret  Service  so  jar  his  nerves,  that 
from  being  an  expert  with  the  cue,  he  became  in  one 
second  the  veriest  amateur.  She  must  have  told  him 
of  that  meeting. 

To  this  suddenly  comes  with  an  awful,  dismaying 
bang  into  my  brain — My  God,  if  Baker's  suspicious  are 
true/ 


BILLY   HAMILTON. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MRS.  SENATOR  BREAM'S  DANCE. 

BUT  my  meditations  on  the  unknown  girl  are  here 
broken  in  upon.  Little  Finnaker  comes  striding  into 
my  parlor,  in  his  militia  uniform.  This  is  a  Turko- 
Zouave  dress,  of  Oriental  ferocity. 

"I  have  a  question  or  two  I  want  to  ask  you,  my 
son  of  Mars,"  he  says,  trying  to  bring  his  enormous 
voice  down  to  a  whisper.  "But  this  must  be  private  !  " 

"Certainly." 

"  I  know  I  can  trust  you  ;  your  intense  loyalty  shows 
me  that!  So  I  want  a  hint  from  you.  Though  you're 
in  the  cavalry,  I  presume  you  studied  engineering  at 
West  Point?" 

"  I  did,  till  my  head  ached  !  "  I  laugh. 

"Now,  this  is  very  dark  !"  he  steps  up  to  me,  and 
speaks  in  my  ear,  his  deep  voice  making  my  tympanum 
ring:  "Orders  came  from  the  front  to-day  to  prepare 
a  pontoon  train  with  eighty  pontoons  and  two  thousand 
feet  of  wooden  bridge,  with  extra  anchors  and  lashings, 
and  forward  it  to  Aquia  Creek.  Arago  sent  the  requi- 
sition down  to  the  Depot-quartermaster,  special  order 
1410,  by  that  cursed  insolent  Irish  orderly  Lommox, 
not  two  hours  ago.  As  a  military  engineer,  what  does 
it  mean  ?  " 

I  glance  at  an  elaborate  map  of  Virginia  that  I  have 
hung  on  the  wall  of  my  parlor,  for  convenience  in  fol- 
lowing the  movements  of  the  army.  After  a  minute  or 
two's  inspection  of  this,  I  reply  sharply  :  "  Fredericks- 
burg  !  " 

' '  Ah,  you  think  it  means  a  pontoon  bridge  to  cross 
the  Rappahannock  at  that  point?" 

"No,"  I  reply.  "I  think  it  means  two,  perhaps 
three,  pontoon  bridges — for  Burnside's  army  to  cross 
at  Fredericksburg.  If  you've  reported  your  orders  cor- 
rectly to  me,  I  should  judge  that  is  the  route  the  new 
commander  of  the  array  intends  to  take  to  Rich- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  133 

"  You  bet  1  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?  "  asks  Finna- 
ker  eagerly. 

"  Humph  !  If  he  gets  over  before  Lee  can  entrench 
himself  back  of  the  city,"  I  remark,  "it  might  not  be  a 
bad  plan." 

"Well,  I  think  Ambrose  understands  that;  for  the 
orders  have  come  to  expedite  getting  together  that 
pontoon  train  and  start  it  as  fast  as  possible.  We  sent  the 
requisition  off  like  a  shot ;  that  insolent  beast  Lommox 
was  back  in  five  or  six  minutes,  though  I  think  his  horse 
must  have  thrown  him,  he  was  dusty  as  a  badger  when 
he  reported  back.  Now,  you  must  take  your  oath  not 
to  whisper  this  to  anybody!"  he  adds  warily.  "I 
tell  too  many  things  now.  Some  day  I  may  get  into 
trouble  over  them." 

"Some  day  you  may!"  I  think  grimly;  but  not 
wishing  to  cut  off  my  inside  information,  I  do  not  voice 
this. 

While  we  have  been  talking,  I  have  finished  a 
most  elaborate,  and  I  hope  effective,  military  toilet, 
for — shall  I  confess  it? — the  benefit  of  Miss  Eva  Ash- 
ley. What  man  does  not  wish  to  look  his  best  in  the 
eyes  of  a  beautiful  and  fascinating  girl  to  whom  he 
has  been  a  childhood  sweetheart — at  the  first  meeting 
after  mutual  maturity?  Whether  he  wants  her  love  or 
not — no  matter  how  attenuated  Cupid's  ribbon  that 
once  joined  them  has  grown — he  wishes  the  little  girl 
to  see  that  her  boy  beau,  in  manhood  has  not  deterio- 
rated. 

So  with  my  heart  beating  at  the  thought  of  meeting 
for  the  first  time  in  seven  years  my  putative  fiancte, 
and  rather  wondering  what  will  be  the  precise  nature 
of  her  greeting — whether  she  has  not  practically  for- 
gotten me — but  still  with  my  heart  fluttering  slightly 
about  the  affair,  accompanied  by  Finnaker,  I  step  over 
to  Mrs.  Bream's  old-fashioned  but  handsome  residence 
on  the  north  of  Lafayette  Square. 

The  distance  is  a  short  one,  the  night  pleasant  ; 
though  even  as  we  arrive,  quite  a  string  of  carriages 
are  putting  down  various  ladies  and  gentlemen  at  the 
wide-open,  hospitable  portals.  Most  of  the  gentlemen, 
from  clanking  sabres  under  their  cloaks,  and  spurs 
flashing  in  the  gaslight,  I  discover  are  in  uniform. 

"Yes;  it's  going  to  be  quite  a  military  affair,"  re- 


134  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

marks  little  Napoleon  to  me.  "We  let  in  a  few  Con" 
gressmen  ;  some  foreign  attaches  wander  in  ;  but  this 
evening  it's  mostly  the  '  boys  in  blue '  and  the  girls 
who  love  'em.  It  is  one  of  four  that  Mrs.  Bream's 
going  to  give  ;  not  big  crushes  like  her  grand  ball,  but 
jolly,  happy  frolics,  where  every  one  knows  everybody 
else — and  the  prettiest  girls  in  Washington  to  dance 
with,  flirt  with,  and  make  'em  love  you." 

Most  of  this  is  whispered  while  we  are  divesting 
ourselves  of  our  outer  wrappings  in  the  gentlemen's 
dressing-room.  Around  us  I  note,  among  lots  of  blue 
uniforms,  a  few  dress  coats,  worn  mostly  by  foreign 
legation  attache's  ;  beside  me  is  Senor  Rafael  Ortegas, 
the  Spanish  first-secretary,  also  Rupert  Schuyler  and 
JackTotten,  old  West  Point  friends ;  General  Broughton 
of  the  Engineers  reminds  me  he  is  also  near  me,  by 
doing  me  the  honor  of  treading  on  my  toes. 

I  deliver  my  cavalry  cloak  and  helmet  to  the  inevi- 
table attendant  darky  of  all  Washington  residences, 
though  little  Napoleon  refuses  to  surrender  his  Turko 
headgear  to  that  functionary,  probably  thinking  that  it 
gives  him  greater  martial  ferocity. 

"All  of  us  boys  from  the  front ! "  remarks  Napoleon, 
who  seems  to  know  everybody,  looking  round  at 
several  officers,  on  temporary  leave  from  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac — "to-morrow  we  go  out  and  get  at  the 
Rebs  again — don't  we,  comrades  ?  " 

"  By  Jove  !  how  I  sympathize  with  your  martial 
ardor,  Mr.  Finnaker,"  laughs  young  Totten  of  the  in- 
fantry. "  Penned  up  here,  with  never  a  chance  to 
shed  your  blood." 

"Yes,  it  is  sad!"  cries  Napoleon  unabashed. 
"Though  I'll  bet  I  have  had  more  horses  shot  under 
me  than  any  man  present !  And  at  First  Bull  Run — 
damn  me  ! — acting  as  a  volunteer-aide,  I  was  wounded  ! 
If  you  don't  believe  me  ask  Colonel  Cameron  of  the 
79th  New  York  !  But  then  he's  dead,  poor  fellow — fell 
at  my  side  and  died  in  my  arms  1  Good  God  !  don't 
talk  of  it  here  ;  it  might  frighten  the  girls."  And  the 
little  liar  brushes  actual  tears  out  of  his  ferocious  eyes. 

Finnaker  has  told  this  story  so  often  that  it  has  be- 
come a  reality  to  him  ;  and  so  strongly  was  this  fiction 
embedded  in  his  mind  that  after  the  war  he  applied  fof 
a  pension  on  it — by  special  legislation. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  135 

A  moment  later,  I  step  downstairs  to  pay  my  re- 
spects to  my  hostess,  followed  by  the  little  hero,  who 
suggests  :  "The  girls  are  waiting  for  us." 

1  had  seen  Mrs.  Senator  Bream  several  times  when 
she  visited  West  Point  during  my  cadetship.  At  mid- 
summer hops  I  had  had  the  honor  of  dancing  with  the 
wife  of  the  distinguished  Senator,  who  is  as  lovely, 
pleasant,  and  hospitable  a  young  matron  as  ever  forgot 
old  husband, — though  only  fora  moment — in  the  arms 
of  a  dashing  lieutenant.  For  Lucy  Bream  was  always 
the  Bona  Dea  of  us  cadets  ;  her  happy  face,  her  bright 
smile,  had  enlivened  many  a  dress-parade  for  us,  and 
made  charming  many  a  graduation  hop. 

As  I  enter  the  f£te,  I  observe  that  the  double  house 
is  a  roomy  mansion,  old-fashionedly  spacious,  with 
rather  low  ceilings.  Its  ample  parlors  are  of  sufficient 
extent  to  give  dancing-room  to  a  hundred  couples.  In 
the  large  hall,  surrounded  by  potted  plants,  a  portion 
of  one  of  the  bands  of  a  garrison  regiment  is  playing 
vigorously,  as  many  dashing  fellows  are  doing  the 
deux  temps,  each  one  with  a  pretty  partner,  to  the 
dreamy  music  of  Godfrey's  "  Mabel"  waltz,  that  is  just 
now  very  popular. 

Elbowing  my  way  discreetly  between  one  or  two 
surrounding  wives  of  Senators  and  Congressmen,  I 
find  myself  bowing  over  the  fair  hand  of  Lucy  Bream. 

Thirty  odd  years  have  fallen  lightly  on  her  dimpled 
shoulders,  her  soft,  brown  Virginia  eyes  are  as  charm- 
ing and  her  voice  is  as  sweet,  as  when,  some  twelve 
years  before,  she  enchanted  cadets  as  pretty  Lucy 
Warrington.  She  is  the  youngest  sister  of  Miss  Ash- 
ley's mother.  "The  baby  of  the  family,"  I  have  heard 
her  called  in  the  old  time,  before  she  married  the  rising 
Border-State  politician  who  afterwards  threw  away  his 
Democracy  and  became  the  great  Republican  war- 
horse. 

That  political  luminary  is  not  in  the  room. 

Noting  my  glance,  Mrs.  Bream  remarks  :  "  I'm  ex- 
ceedingly glad  to  learn  that  you've  escaped  from  your 
secession  relatives  in  Baltimore,  Captain  Hamilton. 
But  you  needn't  expect  the  Senator  until  later ;  at 
present  he  is  occupied  on  committee  business  at  the 
capitol.  I  never  see  him  now  until  eleven  o'clock." 
This  last  with  a  little  sigh ;  as  she  loves  her  old 


136  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

spouse  very  tenderly — though  perhaps  not  in  a  Juliet 
fashion. 

"And — and  Miss  Ashley?"  I  ask,  gazing  about 
curiously. 

"Oh,  Eva  will  be  down  presently — she  complained  of 
a  slight  headache  after  dinner  but  finally  went  out 
for  a  walk  and  fresh  air,  this  beautiful  afternoon,  and 
did  not  return  till  quite  late."  To  this  Mrs.  Bream 
adds  significantly,  "You  and  Eve  used  to  be  quite 
friends  in  the  old  days  ; "  and  asks  me  after  my  father 
and  my  sisters. 

"I  don't  know  very  much  about  them  at  present," 
I  return  glumly. 

"No,  I  presume  not, "she  laughs  suggestively  ;  then 
murmurs,  with  the  tact  of  the  hostess:  "Ah,  Mr. 
Finnaker — as  usual  here  when  the  pretty  girls  come-'" 
and  greets  Miss  Sallie  Bridger,  a  dashing  frontier 
amazon  from  the  plains,  and  the  Misses  Alice  and 
Laura  Gushing  of  New  York,  metropolitan  beauties, 
who  are  spending  a  month  or  two  in  Washington. 

I  turn  from  my  hostess  and  glance  round  the  room 
at  as  pretty  a  war-time  frolic  as  I  have  ever  seen. 

For  Mrs.  Bream's  party,  though  it  has  not  all  the 
redundant  paraphernalia  that  have  come  to  later  Ameri- 
can social  functions  and  its  young  ladies  are  not  all 
decked  in  imported  Parisian  gowns,  though  the  favors 
in  its  german  will  not  be  made  of  silver  and  gold  and 
decked  with  jewels,  has  an  informal  jollity  about  it 
that  is  missing  from  so  many  of  the  more  elaborate 
affairs  of  the  next  few  decades. 

The  girls  all  look  as  pretty  and  happy  as  wood- 
nymphs,  though  half  of  them  have  probably  made 
their  own  simple  dancing  frocks  ;  but  in  them  they 
are  a  merry  lot  of  open-hearted,  whole-souled  dam- 
sels, many  very  beautiful,  and  all  very  well  pleased 
with  the  gentlemen  in  attendance  upon  them,  who  are 
mostly  of  the  younger  and  fighting  blood  of  the  army 
— dashing  fellows  on  short  leave  from  the  front. 

For  in  those  days  it  was  flirting,  dancing  and  loving 
one  day,  and  shooting,  fighting  and  dying,  the  next  ! 
Some  of  the  officers  about  me,  even  now,  are  giving 
their  young  eyes  their  last  earthly  feast  of  beautiful 
women,  though  they  do  not  know  it ;  and  are  making 
love  as  persistently  to  the  pretty  maideng  in  their  way 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  137 

<is  if  they  will  live  to  be  centenarians  and  die  with 
four  generations  around  their  bedsides. 

Upon  this  scene  I  took  philosophically.  The  strains 
of  the  "  Mabel "  waltz  are  floating  in  my  ears. 

Mr.  Finnaker  is  saying:  "  Miss  Ashley,  let  me  pre- 
sent my  friend,  the  ex-Provost-Marshal  of  Baltimore  and 
gallant  Union  officer,  Captain  Hamilton." 

Turning,  I  bow  to  a  radiant  mixture  of  arch  smiles 
and  blushing  embarrassment,  and  murmur:  "I  have 
known  Miss  Ashley  before." 

Suddenly  the  room  seems  to  revolve  around  me 
with  jiggling  dancers ;  the  music  seems  to  give  a 
mashing  crash  upon  my  brain.  I  see  standing  before 
me,  as  piquantly  lovely,  as  exquisitely  beautiful  as 
when  she  wore  the  gray  riding-habit,  my  ex-captive  of 
that  Potomac  night — my  charmer  of  those  two  happy 
hours  in  Frederick. 

Cavalry  officers  don't  faint.  Therefore  I  do  not  reel 
and  utter  a  smothered  cry,  but,  chewing  my  moustache, 
look  sheepishly  at  her  as  she  sa/s — for  women  always 
have  social  presence  of  mind  : — "  No  need  of  an  intro- 
duction, Mr.  Finnaker  ;  Captain  Hamilton  and  I  are — 
are  old  friends."  Then  she  makes  my  heart  beat  with  : 
"Billy,  will  you  give  me  your  arm  and  take  me  out  on 
the  veranda  ?  It — it's  a  little  warm  here,  and  as  sub- 
hostess  I  have  been  dancing  continuously." 

Remembering  Mrs.  Bream's  remark  I  know  the 
young  lady  has  told  a  little  fib — but  it  makes  me  very 
happy. 

"Yes;  very  old  friends,"  I  contrive  to  mutter. 
"Though  I've  not  seen  you  for  several  years." 

At  my  omission  of  the  Frederick  meeting  she  gives 
me  a  grateful  glance. 

Again  I  notice  Miss  Ashley's  tact. 

She  says  :  "  Captain  Finnaker,  you  won't  mind  losing 
me  for  a  few  minutes.  I'll  give  you  a  dance  later  in  the 
evening — two  of  them,  if  you  like" — and  sends  little 
Napoleon  away  very  happy  both  for  her  dance  and 
his  military  title.  Then  placing  upon  my  arm  a  light 
hand,  the  touch  of  which  thrills  me  from  heart  to 
brain,  she  almost  whispers  in  my  ear:  "Thank  you 
for  not  remembering  too  much." 

In  a  dazed  way,  I  lead  her  through  circling  dancers, 
and  happily  get  her  to  a  window  opening  on  the  bal- 


138  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

cony  without  accident  to  her  light  muslin  skirts  and 
lacy  draperies. 

For  she  is  all  in  white — diaphanous  white.  The  only 
color  about  her — except  her  cheeks,  which  are  roses 
and  lilies  by  turns,  with  varying  emotions — is  a  broad 
scarf  of  light  pink  satin  or  silk  or  some  other  glistening 
texture  that  girdles  her  fairy  waist  and  floats  off  over 
the  fluttering  little  flounces  of  her  crinolined  skirt  to 
petite  pink  slippers  that  come  peeping  out  from 
under  it. 

The  gown  is  very  simple ;  perhaps  it  has  been  made 
by  her  own  pretty  fingers.  But — heavens  and  earth  ! 
— what  a  magnificent  pair  of  shoulders  and  arms 
spring  out  of  it,  superb  in  sculptured  beauty,  gleaming 
like  ivory  and  white  as  driven  snow. 

As  I  draw  the  curtains  back  for  her  to  exit  in  ad- 
vance of  me,  I  feel  as  if  I  could  kiss  every  dimple  in 
them. 

Glancing  archly  over  her  shoulder  as  she  passes  out, 
perhaps  the  girl  catches  the  spark  of  proprietorship  in 
my  eyes,  as  I  am  looking  proudly  at  her  and  thinking 
"My  fiancie!"  for  her  fair  cheeks  grow  redder  even 
than  they  were  before.  The  next  instant  the  blushes 
leave  her  face,  which  grows  deathly  pale,  her  eyes  blaze, 
her  delicate  nostrils  expand  in  haughty  coldness  ;  Miss 
Eva  Ashley  is  no  more  the  bashful  maiden,  but  the 
self-possessed  beauty  of  society. 

On  the  broad  veranda,  which  forttmately  is  occupied 
by  but  few  of  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  fe"te,  I 
silently  place  a  chair  for  her  in  a  retired  nook  and  an- 
other for  myself. 

A  moment  later  she  glances  at  me  shyly,  then 
laughs  archly  :  "Why  are  you  so  glum  ?  One  would 
think  meeting  me  after  childhood's  hours,  was  not 
pleasant  to  Sir  Galahad." 

To  this  I  do  not  immediately  reply  ;  I  am  gazing  on 
all  this  loveliness  surlily.  For,  curiously,  just  at  this 
moment,  the  memory  of  the  accursed  kiss  I  heard  on 
the  Frederick  hotel  balcony,  and  the  "Dear  Charley  !  " 
that  brought  misery  to  me  as  I  sat  in  the  gloom  of  the 
tavern  garden,  have  made  me  tremendously  jealous. 
"What  right  has  she — my  fiancee"  lam  thinking,  "to 
dare  to  let  another  man  salute  those  lips  that  should 
be  for  me  and  me  only  ?  " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  139 

Oh  !  how  constant  I  have  suddenly  become  to  our 
childhood's  engagement.  Into  my  mind  has  flown  with 
all  a  Romeo's  ardor,  "  She  is  my  betrothed,  and  by  the 
Eternal,  she  shall  be  no  other  man's  1 " 

Still,  as  I  look  at  her  radiant  beauty,  softened  by  the 
subdued  lights  that  stream  from  the  curtained  windows 
upon  Miss  Ashley,  a  sudden  and  unpleasant  reflection 
intrudes  itself  upon  me  :  "  How  will  she  now  regard  the 
engagement  made  for  us  by  papa  and  by  mamma? " 

Evidences  of  this  do  not  come  to  me  immediately, 
as  I  seat  myself  beside  her,  for  the  young  lady  looks  at 
me  merrily,  though  graciously,  and  murmurs  gratefully  : 
"Thank  you  again  for  not  being  too  explanatory  be- 
fore Mr.  Finnaker.  I  do  not  care,"  she  whispers, 
"for  my  harum-scarum,  fly-away  escapade  that  night 
you. were  so  kind  as  to — to  save(my  life,  Billy,  to 
be  common  gossip." 

"  What  makes  you  think  I  saved  your  life  ? " 

"Why,  one  of  your  poor  troopers  you  ordered  to  ride 
behind  me  was  shot  down.  And  you — did  you  not 
have  a  bullet  through  your  clothes  as  you  kept  so  care- 
fully between  me  and  the  Confederate  fire?  " 

"Yes,  I  believe  I  did  lose  a  button,"  I  murmur; 
then  go  on,  in  a  tone  whose  gloom  is  deeper  than 
the  night :  "  No  wonder  you  wish  it  to  be  a  secret, 
Miss  Ashley,  when  you  visited  the  Confederate  Army 
to  meet  a  handsome  young  officer  !  " 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  sir."  The  blushing  girl  has 
become  a  statue  of  ice  and  as  haughty  as  Lucifer. 

"Oh,  you  need  not  deny  it,"  I  mutter  savagely. 
"  Sitting  on  a  chair  in  the  garden  at  Frederick — in  the 
early  evening — as  I  might  be  sitting  down  below  this 
veranda  now— I  heard  you  call  a  gentleman  'Dear 
Charley  ! '  And  then — God  help  me  ! — I  heard  you — " 

"Kiss  him?"  she  laughs.  "Why  certainly!  My 
half-brother,  Charley  St.  George,  of  Mun ford's  Second 
Virginia  Cavalry.  Of  course  I  kissed  him,  when  I 
hadn't  seen  him  for  months  !  "  then  adds  slyly  :  "And 
you  were — "  But  she  checks  herself,  biting  off  the 
word  she  is  about  to  utter,  next  a  sudden  eagerness, 
perhaps  anxiety,  coming  into  her  voice,  she  asks  un- 
easily :  "  Tell  me  all  you  heard  that  evening  ?  " 

"Nothing  more!"  I  reply,  and  mutter  glumly, 
"  Wasn't  that  enough  ?  Didn't  I  suffer  so  much  misery 


140  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

that  I  couldn't  bid  you  good-bye  in  Frederick  that 
night  ?  " 

At  this  she  breaks  out  laughing  but  remarks  in  com- 
mon-sense tone  :  "  Don't  be  foolish,  Billy  1  What  right 
would  you  have  had  to  complain  if  Miss  Ashley  had 
kissed  any  man  ?  You've  paid  so  much  attention  to 
her  since  you  left  West  Point."  There  is  a  haughty 
sneer  in  the  patrician  face,  her  nostrils  are  dilated  with 
lady-like  contempt. 

Here  despair  and  Cupid  give  me  a  crafty  suggestion. 
I  murmur:  " Miss  Ashley 's  kisses  made  little  differ- 
ence to  me  then,  but  that  one  of  my  ex-captive  in  the 
gray  riding-habit  did  mightily." 

"Ah,  yes,  I  perceive  !  "  says  the  young  lady  slowly, 
and  breaks  into  a  slight  laugh,  in  which  I  can't  help 
joining. 

Then  I  whisper:  "You  told  Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ash- 
fey,  that  you  disciplined  Captain  Billy  Hamilton  with 
ihreats  of  his  fiancee, " — she  grows  rosy  at  the  appella- 
tion—  "when  he  was  about  to  make  a  little  love  to 
you  ?  You  remember  you  threatened  to  tell  her  of  my 
perfidy,"  I  laugh  ;  I  am  so  happy  now.  "How  did 
Miss  Ashley  receive  your  communication  ? " 

"Oh,  she  knew  you  were  fickle  without  my  telling 
her,"  giggles  the  young  lady.  Then  suddenly  she 
grows,  I  think,  cruelly  cold ;  she  remarks  haughtily 
"You  have  already  taken  a  tone  with  me,  Captain 
Hamilton,  that  years  of  attention  should  not  allow  a 
gentleman  to  assume  to  a  lady." 

"Yes,  I  was  jealous,  I'll  admit  it,"  I  say,  my  voice 
growing-  very  tender.  And  carried  away  by  her  glori- 
ous beauty,  which  is  as  tantalizing  to  me,  as  the  for- 
bidden fruit  was  to  the  serpent,  I  whisper  :  "Will  you 
not  permit  me  the  pleasure  of  being  jealous  of  you, 
Eve  ? " 

It  is  the  first  time  I  have  used  her  Christian  name. 
As  it  strikes  her  ear  she  grows  very  red,  but  answers 
firmly,  though  laughingly  :  "Not  until  you  have  earned 
the  right,  by  months  and  months  of  devotion." 

Here  inspiration  comes  to  me.  I  answer  :  "I  have 
already  two  months  to  my  credit !  " 

"Two  months  ?     I — I  hardly  understand  you." 

"  From  the  night  of  September  4th  to  November  Hth, 
this  evening,"  I  whisper,  "I  have  been  devoted  to 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  14! 

you — not  perhaps  as  Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ashley,  but  as 
the  beauty  of  the  gray  riding-habit.  Permit  me  to 
unite  the  two  young  ladies  in  one.  It  is  not  always  we 
can  combine  love  and  duty.  You  know  your  mother 
and  my  father  wish  it.  I  always  like  to  please  my 
governor,"  I  add  nonchalantly — thinking  I've  played  a 
master  stroke. 

But  I  haven't ! 

"Yes;  you  are  always  anxious  to  please  your  father  !" 
she  sneers  half-laughingly,  "Union  soldier  and  ex- 
Provost-Marshal  of  Baltimore.  Oh,  yes,  you  always 
enjoy  making  your  governor  happy."  She  rises,  as  if 
shaking  some  insect  from  her  dress,  and  remarks  in 
icy  hauteur  :  "But  please  take  me  in  to  the  dancers; 
our  absence  will  be  noticed,  Captain  Hamilton." 

"  Hang  it !  what  have  I  done  to  displease  you  now  ?  " 
I  say,  hurriedly  rising  after  her. 

"Nothing  ;  only  it  is  cold  here."  Her  white  shoul- 
ders shiver  slightly.  "If  you  prefer  the  moonlight, 
stay  outside  ;  but  I  must  go  into  the  ball-room." 

Silently  I  open  the  window  for  her,  and  she  passes 
into  the  throng ;  and  I,  gazing  after  her,  see  her 
face,  which  had  been  cold  to  me,  light  up  with  gay 
smiles  as  she  is  surrounded  by  half-a-dozen  blue  uni- 
forms and  one  or  two  black  dress-coats.  A  moment 
after  she  is  whirled  away  into  the  dance  by  young 
Schuyler,  a  lieutenant  of  engineers. 

On  my  charmer's  last  vagary  I  look  with  gloomy  eyes, 
and  stand  speculating  in  the  moonlight :  "  Is  it  because 
she  thinks  me  an  undutiful  son  ?  or  is  it  because  I,  a 
Southerner,  am  a  Union  officer?  " 

A  moment  later  I  speculate  again  :  "Is  she  devoted 
to  the  Union  as  little  Finnaker  so  proudly  asserts  ?  Has 
the  great  War-Senator's  eloquence  converted  her?" 
Somehow,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  take  a  good  deal  more 
than  eloquence  to  make  most  Virginia  girls  anything 
but  the  most  pestilent  of  Rebel  maidens.  I  know  my 
eloquence  has  never  converted  any  of  them.  "The 
only  thing  that  has  ever  seemed  to  soften  them  has 
been  making  love  to  them,"  I  chuckle  grimly  to  my- 
self, as  I  think  of  my  dear  little  sister  Birdie's  icy 
hauteur  growing  soft  and  pliable  and  sunshiny  under 
handsome  Arthur  Vermilye's  ardent  glances. 


142  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Suddenly  all  speculation  of  this  kind  is  knocked  out 
of  my  brain  with  another  battering1  crash  ! 

I  see  Miss  Ashley,  beautiful  as  a  sylph,  come  floating 
through  the  crowd  of  dancers,  steered  by  the  arm  of 
Henri  Dubois  Arago,  who  in  plain,  civilian,  faultless 
evening  dress,  is  guiding  her  through  the  throng  with 
Creole  grace  and  suppleness. 

"She  was  the  girl  Henri  Arago  talked  to  that  night !  " 
flashes  through  my  mind.  "She — Eva  Ashley — my 
fiancte — was  the  girl  he  scoffed  at  as  a  Treasury 
wanton  !  " 

But  noting  him,  I  see  his  bearing  to  the  young  lady 
is  punctilio  itself;  though  as  he  looks  upon  her  there  is 
something  in  his  eyes  that  makes  me  hate  him. 

Then  with  a  little  gasp  I  remember  what  the  Chief 
Detective  of  the  Secret  Service  Bureau  said  to  me  this 
day.  "  My  heaven  !  Can  he  be  right  ?  Is  Eva  Ashley 
the  woman  Lafayette  C.  Baker  and  Edmund  McMasters 
Stan  ton  want?  " 

That  I  must  discover — for  her  sake — for  my  sake: 
to  defend  her  properly — to  keep  her  from  military  pun- 
ishment 1  That  I  must  know,  and  know  quickly  1  " 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    BELLE    OF   THE    ARMY. 

To  do  this  I  must  have  not  only  the  talent  of  a  Vidocq 
and  the  astuteness  of  a  diplomatist,  but  the  cold- 
blooded s avoir  fair e  of  an  indifferent.  Can  I  be  that 
to  a  woman  whom  I  have  loved  for  two  months — 
whom  I  have  ADORED  for  ten  minutes? 

Schooling  myself  to  my  role,  which  is  not  an  easy 
one  for  a  dashing,  whole-hearted,  up-and-down,  cut- 
and-thrust,  hit-or-miss  cavalry  officer,  I  step  into  the 
ball-room  and  do  my  devoir,  in  what  would  be,  under 
ordinary  circumstances,  one  of  the  jolliest  dances  I  have 
ever  seen. 

I  waltz  with  Miss  Molly  Bent,  a  fascinating  little 
witch  from  Iowa,  flirt  with  Miss  Georgie  Langdon  of 
Hartford,  have  a  very  charming  icte-b-tett  with  the 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  143 

sprightly  Alice  Gushing  of  New  York.  Sitting  on  the 
stairs,  a  little  distance  below  us,  is  her  brother,  Jim 
Gushing  of  the  infantry,  paying  his  court  to  the  piquant 
French  beauty  and  soft  Southern  eyes  of  Grace  Cho- 
teau,  a  St.  Louis  girl  whose  ancestors  were  great  in 
the  fur-trading  line. 

But  none  of  these  demoiselles,  pretty  as  they  are, 
sparkling  as  they  are,  can  keep  my  glance  from  fol- 
lowing the  exquisite  loveliness  of  Eva  Ashley,  as  she 
floats  about,  first  with  one  cavalier,  then  with  another, 
apparently  dispensing  the  favors  of  her  hand  quite  im- 
partially among  the  gentlemen  about  her. 

Though,  noting  her  time  and  again,  I  shortly  dis- 
cover that  Mr.  Arago  somehow  contrives  to  have  a 
little  the  best  of  any  of  her  attendants.  Something  m 
her  manner  to  him  makes  me  grind  my  teeth  :  there 
seems  some  indescribable,  common  interest  in  both 
this  young  lady  and  gentleman — illusive,  intangible — 
but  still  a  bond  of  some  kind  between  them.  Once  or 
twice,  as  she  almost  whispers  to  her  Creole  beau,  I 
think  it  is  some  secret  that  is  theirs  and  theirs  only. 

Determined  I  will  not  go  near  Eve,  I  still  am  not 
able  to  get  her  out  of  my  head,  and  perhaps  make 
rather  indifferent  company  to  the  young  ladies  with 
whom  I  am  talking. 

So,  strolling  a  little  further,  I  get  into  conversation 
with  our  hostess.  "  By  Jove,  I'll  pump  her  about  her 
niece  ! "  I  think,  and,  chatting  with  Mrs.  Bream,  I 
tell  her  the  story  of  my  sister  Birdie  and  her  love  affair 
with  Captain  Vermilye  of  the  artillery. 

"Yes;  the  captain  was  here  at  my  ball,"  remarks 
my  hostess.  "  I  thought  him  a  very  distinguished  gen- 
tleman, besides  being  very  rich.  Your  little  secession 
sister's  made  a  good  Union  match,"  laughs  Lucy,  "and 
I  have  no  doubt  your  father  in  his  heart  of  hearts 
blesses  you  for  it." 

"Indeed  he  doesn't!  You  should  have  seen  the 
letter  he  wrote  me  !  "  I  reply  glumly. 

"Well,  it's  a  good  thing,  you  young  people  of  oppo- 
site sides  getting  together.  It  won't  make  you  hate 
each  other  so  much  after  the  war  is  over.  Now  there 
is  my  niece,"  she  looks  at  Eve  who  is  standing  at  a 
little  distance,  talking  to  a  couple  of  oldish  brigadier- 
generals,  "  when  she  came  here  from  Virginia,  she 


144  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

was  quite  a  vicious  little  Rebel.  But  though  she  says 
it  was  my  husband's  eloquence  and  argument  that 
have  softened  her  sectional  animosity,  I  rather  think 
you  handsome  young  officers  have  had  more  to  do 
with  her  conversion  than  the  Senator's  fiery  speeches. 
By-the-bye,"  my  hostess  remarks,  "when  you  were 
quite  young  was  not  it  rumored  that  you  were  en- 
gaged— a  kind  of  boy-and-girl  affair — to  Eve?" 

"The  rumor  was  true,"  I  say  determinedly,  "it  was 
a  fact" 

"But  you  have  not  been  with  her  much  this  even- 
ing?" 

"Why  not?"  I  reply,  knowingly.  "We  had  a 
pleasant  little  chat  out  on  the  back  veranda." 

Suddenly  Lucy  Bream  startles  me.  She  says  in 
American  common-sense  tones  : 

"  Why  not  renew  the  affair?  " 

"You  mean  it?" 

"Certainly!"  To  this,  the  matron  adds,  a  tone  of 
anxiety  in  her  voice  :  "Step  up  to  her  now,  she  is  speak- 
ing to  Mr.  Arago.  Between  ourselves — this  must  be 
confidential — even  if  you  only  flirt  with  her,  do  me  the 
favor  of  destroying  Mr.  Arago's  chances.  I — I  don't 
like  the  way  Eve  is  carrying  on  with  that  young  New 
Orleans  man  ;  I  have  spoken  to  her  about  it,  but  my 
niece  laughs  it  off." 

"  I  have  your  good  wishes?  "     I  ask  anxiously. 

"Yes!  to  the  fullest  extent."  Lucy  Bream's  hand 
meets  mine  with  hearty  grasp  ;  her  frank  eyes  look  into 
mine  encouragingly  :  I  know  I  have  a  friend  in  the 
camp  of  my  sweetheart. 

Still,  something  in  the  matron's  eyes  makes  me 
whisper:  "You  think  I  have  a  difficult  task  before 
me?" 

Her  answer  is  not  assuring.  "  Very  !  At  least,  it 
would  be,  young  man,  if  I  were  Eva  Ashley.  Engaged 
to  her  as  a  boy,  and  neglecting  her  as  a  man  !  In  ad- 
dition, Eve's  natural  pride  has  been  augmented  by  her 
poverty.  You  see,  she  is  very  sensitive  now  ;  her 
family's  losses  by  this  war  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia 
have  made  her  poor.  And  let  me  tell  you,  my  gallant 
captain,  if  she  thinks  for  one  moment  your  neglect  of 
her  came  from  the  knowledge  of  her  poverty,  good-bye 
to  any  hope  of  her  I  I'm  not  altogether  pleased  witb 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  143 

your   conduct   in  this   matter,   Billy,"  adds  the  aunt, 
looking  at  me  rather  savagely. 

"Then  for  God's  sake,  let  me  atone  for  it  1 " 

"Ah!  Now  that  you  see  Eve's  about  the  prettiest 
thing  in  the  world " 

"  You  do  not  understand.  I — I  cannot  explain — 
only  believe  me,  I  have  loved  her  ever  since  I  saw  her 
as  a  woman  !  " 

"  Pish  !     For  an  hour  ?  " 

"  No  ;  for  much  longer." 

"Tell  me!"  Woman's  curiosity  is  blazing  in  the 
eyes  of  the  matron.  But  this  shows  me  Eve  has  not 
made  her  aunt  her  confidant  of  her  night  ride  between 
the  armies.  Under  the  circumstances,  I  must  keep  my 
lips  closed. 

"Tell  you,"  I  laugh,  "when  I'm  married  to  your 
niece." 

This  last  is  a  whisper  that  makes  Lucy  Bream  give 
a  little  startled,  "Oh!" 

But  though  my  words  are  confident,  my  heart  is  not 
equally  so.  I  sit  apart  and  inspect  glumly  Miss  Eva's 
radiant  beauty,  from  the  brown,  sunny  curls  that 
crown  her  graceful  head  to  her  exquisite  feet  and  ankles 
disclosed  to  me  in  the  dance,  by  her  fashionable  crino- 
line, as  she  waltzes  with  young  Burbank  of  the  cav- 
alry, or  Ortegas,  the  Legation  attache^  and  exchanges 
military  confidences  in  out-of-the-way  nooks  with  sev- 
eral old  general  officers. 

But  suddenly  I  find  my  indifference  is  rewarded. 
Why  is  it  that  women  are  so  apt  to  run  after  the  cold 
shoulder  ?  Seeing  I  will  not  go  to  her,  Miss  Ashley,  to 
my  astonishment,  comes  to  me. 

"You  got  tired  of  the  moonlight,  I  presume,  Billy," 
she  says,  apparently  as  if  she  had  left  me  on  the  best  of 
terms  ;  then  adds,  as  she  drops  languidly  into  a  seat 
beside  me  :  "  Found  another  young  lady  who  likes  the 
moonlit  piazza  ?  " 

1 '  No, "  I  growl.  ' '  There  is  only  one  here  I'd  care  to 
share  it  with.  You  know  who  she  is."  I  gaze  straight 
in  her  face,  though  I  have  great  difficulty  in  keeping 
my  lip  from  twitching. 

"Oho  !  Trying  to  makeup  by  present  ardor  for  past 
indifference? " 

"  My  heaven,  how  you  misjudge  me  I     My  devotion 


146  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

to  the  girl  in  the  gray  riding-habit  kept  me  away  from 
my — my  fiancee."  I  rub  the  title  into  Eve  till  her 
cheeks  blaze — and  get  a  great  big  hope  from  it,  for  she 
doesn't  command  me  not  to  use  the  term. 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  a  redeeming  point  in  your  favor,"  she 
observes  in  icy  tones.  "  I  don't  suppose  I  should  be 
very  angry  at  any  compliment  for  the  young  lady  you 
have  just  mentioned."  Then  suddenly  she  whispers  ' 
"But  no  more  of  this  here"  a  tinge  of  anxiety  in  her 
voice  ;  for  the  music  has  ceased,  and  our  words  are  now 
quite  distinct  to  those  standing  near  us. 

Then  the  girl  gives  me  another  hope,  though  this 
time  it  is  tinctured  by  rage.  She  remarks  :  "  No,  Mr. 
Arago,  I  don't  think  I  can  give  you  the  next  dance. 
You  see,  I  haven't  seen  my  old  playmate,  Captain 
Hamilton,  for  several  years.  We  are  indulging  in  rem- 
inisences." 

"  Pleasant  ones,  I  hope,"  mutters  the  Creole,  bowing  ; 
though  his  tone  indicates  he  would  prefer  that  they 
were  unpleasant. 

"Very  pleasant  ones!  "  I  interject.  "So  pleasant 
that  I  think  I  shall  have  to  take  Miss  Ashley  in  to 
supper.'' 

"  That  honor  has  been  already  accorded  to  me  !  "  re- 
plies the  clerk  in  the  Quartermaster-General's. 

"Has  it,  Eve?"  I  ask,  in  old-friend  tones,  a  little 
emphasis  on  the  young  lady's  Christian  name  that 
makes  the  gentleman  standing  before  us  turn  angry, 
though  inquiring  eyes  on  me. 

But  here  consternation  comes  to  me.  Miss  Ashley 
says,  an  indescribable  something  in  her  voice  :  "Mr. 
Arago  is  correct :  I  have  already  promised  him  that  he 
may  look  after  my  appetite  this  evening ; "  then  adds 
to  him  :  "1  shall  be  waiting  for  you  here;  it  is  after 
the  next  dance,  I  believe." 

And  the  Creole  leaves  us,  with  triumph  on  his  face, 
while  I  cogitate  dejectedly:  "What  is  it  that  makes 
Miss  Ashley  so  complaisant  to  this  gentleman  ? '" 
Though  now  she  is  trying  to  show  me  it  is  only  good 
breeding,  for  she  is  saying  :  "I  had  already  made  the 
engagement  with  Mr.  Arago,  so  don't  wrinkle  your 
brow  so  savagely,  Billy.'' 

"  Curse  it !  Is  the  poor  little  thing  trying  to  palliate 
to  me  her  acceptance  of  the  Creole's  attentions  ?  Hang 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  147 

it  1  is  she  frightened  of  him  ?  Still,  as  I  look  at  the 
high-bred  face,  courageous  eyes,  the  haughty  and 
clear-cut  nostrils  of  the  girl  sitting  beside  me,  it  is  very 
difficult  to  think  Eva  Vernon  Ashley  is  afraid  of  any- 
thing— much  less  a  half-French  gentleman  from  New 
Orleans,  with  suave  voice  and  oily  smile. 

I  must  be  hating  Arago  !  I  thought  him  a  handsome 
fellow  but  yesterday  :  now  he  seems  to  be  repulsive. 

But  schooling  myself  to  society  manners,  and  deter- 
mining to  make  the  best  use  of  my  time,  I  do  drift  into 
reminiscences  with  the  charming  creature  at  my  side. 

It  is  :  "Billy,  don't  you  remember  that "  "Eva, 

do  you  recollect  when "  But  these  are  broken  in 

upon  by  half-a-dozen  gentlemen  coming  and  begging 
for  a  turn,  and  finally,  to  get  away  from  these,  1  sug- 
gest :  ' '  Dance  with  me  ? " 

"With  pleasure  !  "  says  the  girl,  and  putting  a  dainty 
hand,  light  as  a  falling  snowflake  on  my  shoulder,  my 
arm  goes  round  her  waist — the  first  time  I  have  clasped 
it  since  she  has  become  a  woman — and  I  feel  the  heart  of 
Eva  Ashley  beat  against  my  own.  Somehow,  its  throb- 
bing seems  to  tell  me  that  she  loves  me — that  she  has 
loved  me  ;  somehow,  it  is  as  if  she  felt  confidence  in  my 
supporting  arm — that  peace  has  come  to  her.  In  my 
soul  I  swear  :  "  She  shall  never  regret  it !  "  as  with  the 
music  of  that  soft,  sweet  "  Olga  "  waltz  floating  in  our 
ears,  her  little  feet  keep  perfect  time  to  my  West  Point 
step.  For  one  sweet  moment  I  forget  I  have  a  Secret 
Service  suspect  in  my  arms,  and  think  my  love  can  be 
a  happy  one. 

Suddenly  her  heart  gives  two  grand  throbbing,  wave- 
like  beats  against  mine.  Mr.  Arago  is  saying  over  my 
shoulder  in  happy  tones  :  "  I  am  waiting  for  my  recom- 
pense. The  next  is  supper." 

Afraid  of  him  ?  Hang  it,  her  eyes  blaze  with  triumph 
and  success ! 

As  she  leaves  my  arm  and  puts  her  hand  upon  the 
black  sleeve  of  the  Creole  beau,  it  seems  to  me  that 
Miss  Eva  Vernon  Ashley  wants  to  be  very  kind  this 
evening  to  Henri  Dubois  Arago,  Chief  Clerk  in  the 
Quartermaster-General's  office. 

Is  it  for  some  mighty  service  he  has  rendered  to 
her  ?  Meditating  gloomily  on  this,  I  follow  them  to 
supper. 


148  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

With  terrapin  and  champagne,  come  in  Senator 
Bream  and  two  or  three  more  politicians,  bringing 
with  them  the  awful  passions  of  the  war,  into  our 
mirth  and  revelry.  Our  soldiers  fought  and  forgave ; 
our  politicians  never  fought  and  never  forgave,  and 
always  kept  talking  about  it. 

The  conversation  which  had  been  that  of  any  joy- 
ous fete  and  festivity  far  from  the  noise  of  cannon, 
now  becomes  that  of  an  entrenched  camp,  the  enemy 
not  very  far  away. 

A  Jacobin  congressman,  even  as  we  eat  and  drink, 
commences  to  attack  McClellan.  Finally  young  Cap- 
tain Totten,  who  is  just  from  the  front,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes  turns  to  him  and  says  :  "  You  have  never  fought 
under  that  general — I  have !  But  if  you  will  join 
me  and  stand  with  me  in  the  next  battle — by  Heaven, 
sir  I  think  you'll  wish  we  had  him  back  1  I  know  / 
will ! " 

Prophetic  words  I  Already  the  advance  diArisions 
are  in  motion  for  the  awful  mistake  at  Fredericksburg 
where  handsome  Jack  Totten  fell. 

Premonitions  of  this  movement  commence  even  now 
to  permeate  army  circles  ;  for  I  hear  an  engineer  officer 
near  me  whisper  to  a  young  lady  :  "Mabel  ,  I'm  or- 
dered to  the  front  to-morrow  morning ;  I  suppose 
there'll  be  some  bridge-building." 

"  Oh,  Heavens,  George  !  "  gasps  his  sweetheart,  who 
is  looking  anxiously  in  his  face  ;  then  she  falters  : 
"Why?" 

"Because  I  take  with  me  all  the  reserves  of  the 
engineer  battalion  especially  equipped  as  pontoniers. " 
The  last  of  this  speech  is  quite  loud. 

At  the  young  officer's  words,  my  jealous  eyes,  that 
have  never  left  them,  note  that  Mr.  Arago  pauses  as  he  is 
drinking  his  champagne  and  gazes,  a  strange  look  of 
ecstatic  joy  in  his  face,  at  the  beautiful  girl  sitting  be- 
side him  who  is  playing  with  oysters  d,  la  Maryland, 
for  this  evening  Miss  Ashley  doesn't  seem  to  have  much 
appetite — perhaps  some  reminiscences  of  her  headache 
that  had  taken  her  out  walking  in  the  afternoon,  affect- 
ing hdr.  Then  her  eyes  meet  his — no  love  in  them, 
thank  God — only  some  enormous  glory — Eva  Ashley 
has  the  look  of  a  general  who  has  won  a  battle. 

Just  about  here  Mrs.  Bream  comes  and  takes  a  seat 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  149 

beside  me,  remarking  with  a  hostess's  anxiety  :  "You 
are  not  eating,  Captain  Hamilton." 

"No;  but  I'm  drinking,"  I  laugh  savagely,  and  toast 
the  charming  matron  in  another  glass  of  her  champagne. 

"  You're  not  getting  along  as  well  as  you  expected?  " 
she  whispers,  glancing  across  the  room  towards  her 
beautiful  niece. 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  I'm  doing  pretty  well,"  I  say,  with  a 
confidence  that  seems  to  astonish  her. 

"Indeed!      How?" 

"I  have  discovered  the  reason  of  Eva's  interest  in 
Mr.  Arago. " 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  Again  feminine  curiosity  lights  the 
eyes  of  pretty  Lucy  Bream. 

Again  I  disappoint  it.  "  Tell  you — after  I'm  married 
to  Eve,"  I  whisper. 

"Pooh  !  "  You're  the  most  disappointing  creature  I 
ever  saw  1 "  she  laughs,  as  she  rises  from  my  side  and 
goes  over  to  her  husband,  to  make  him  happy  with 
her  wifely  attentions. 

And  the  Senator  is  very  happy  !  He  is  now  in  the 
midst  of  what  he  thinks  a  good  anecdote.  His  stri- 
dent voice,  that  has  lately  filled  the  halls  of  the  Senate, 
fills  the  dining-room,  and  would  bring  confusion  upon 
little  Finnaker,  if  anything  could. 

The  conversation  has  fallen  upon  Abraham  Lincoln, 
who  occupied  not  only  the  hearts,  but  the  attention,  of 
the  people  ;  his  stories,  bons  mots  and  backwoods  rep- 
artee amusing  the  army  at  the  front  and  even  the 
copperheads,  as  they  plotted  his  political  downfall  at 
the  rear. 

"  I've  got  a  new  one  of  Abe's,"  chuckles  the  Senator. 
"To-day,  the  President  and  I  visited  the  Quartermaster- 
General's  office.  While  we  were  there,  the  greatest 
patriotic  chatter  we  either  of  us  had  ever  heard  came 
resounding  in  to  us. 

"  '  Good  Lord  ! '  says  old  Abe  to  me.  '  Do  you  know 
that  reminds  me  of  the  explosion  of  the  Belle  of  Alton 
on  the  Wabash  in  1842.' 

"'How,  so  Mr.  President?'  replied  I,  preparing 
to  laugh,  for  I  could  see  the  twinkle  in  Abraham's 
eye. 

"  '  Well,  when  the  Belle  of  Alton  blew  up  I  heard  the 
darndest,  biggest,  most  horrible  noise  on  earth,  and 


150  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

looking  round  for  the  cause  of  it,  darn  me,  if  I  could  see 
anything-  left — the  whole  thing  was  nothing  but  noise 
and  wind  !  Little  Napoleon  Finnaker  reminds  me  of 
that  explosion.'" 

A  roar  of  laughter  breaks  out  from  every  man  and 
woman  of  us,  and  looking  about  I  expect  to  see  Nap 
crushed  and  broken. 

But  rising  with  his  champagne  glass  in  his  hand,  the 
Zouave  uniform  making  him  ferocious,  the  little  hero 
cries:  "Thank  you,  Mr.  Senator!  Our  honored  chief 
knew  that  the  explosion  of  the  Belle  of  Alton  killed  one 
hundred  men.  By  Jove,  sir  !  he  knew  I  was  equally 
deadly  /  Phil  Kearney  saw  me  shoot  six  rebels  before 
he  died  in  my  arms  at  the  battle  of  Chantilly,  while  I 
soothed  his  last  anguish.  Ask  him  if  you  don't  believe 
me!"  And  the  little  fellow  gazes  at  the  laughing 
crowd. 

Then  suddenly  tears  come  into  his  eyes,  and  he  mut- 
ters, his  voice  unsteady  with  champagne:  "But  Phil 
— poor  Phil  Kearney — is  dead  !  Another  comrade 
gone.  Soon  perhaps  the  Rebel  bullets  will  give  me  my 
quietus  also." 

Curiously,  Finnaker's  eloquence,  tears  and  cham- 
pagne grief  carry  conviction  to  some.  Pretty  Ethel 
Davenport,  who  has  just  come  from  the  West,  whisper* 
to  me  :  "  Is  he  so  awful  brave  ?  " 

"Captain  Finnaker  is  as  brave  as  he  looks,"  I  answer 
laughingly. 

By  this  time  the  fiddlers  have  got  to  playing  again, 
and  the  younger  contingent  saunter  out  from  the  jolly 
supper-room  to  dance  the  german.  Taking  oppor- 
tunity of  the  cotillion,  I  lead  out  several  times  Miss 
Ashley,  and  once  tossing  me  a  flower  favor  she  gives 
me  floral  invitation  to  tread  a  turn  with  her.  But  all 
the  time  I  see  Arago  has  the  best  of  it ;  he  gets  most  of 
the  dances  :  though  once,  as  I  guide  her  to  the  strains 
of  the  Faust  waltz,  Eve  adds  to  the  brightness  of  its 
music  one  ray  of  sunshine.  Her  lips  whisper  :  "Come 
and  see  me  to-morrow,  Billy," 

"  And  why?  "  I  mutter  savagely. 

"  We've  not  half  finished  our  reminiscences." 

"  What  time  ?  "  I  ask  eagerly. 

"About  three  o'clock."     This  is  said  consideringly. 

I  consider  also,  and  remember  Arago's  hours  of  duty 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  151 

must  keep  him  at  the  Quartermaster-General's  all  the 
next  afternoon. 

"  Very  well,"  I  answer  briskly,  and  leave  her,  not 
wishing  to  commence  the  campaign  with  too  much 
ardor;  though  I  cannot  stand  and  see  her  dancing 
every  other  figure  with  that  cursed  Creole,  who  seems 
so  ineffably  pleased  with  his  success  over  me.  As  for 
the  young  lady,  she  is  now  making  play  with  two 
or  three  old  general  officers  in  a  way  that  surprises 
me. 

As  I  bid  Mrs.  Bream  a  hasty  adieu,  my  hostess 
whispers  :  "A  little  more  difficult  than  you  reckoned? 
eh,  my  captain  ?  My  niece  is  not  picked  up  again  as 
easily  as  you  imagined."  And  she  casts  a  significant 
glance  towards  the  fairylike  creature,  who  is  now 
chatting  with  old  Broughton  of  the  engineers. 

Strolling  from  the / 'tie  in  the  early  morning  light,  as 
I  walk  to  my  F  Street  boarding-house  I  hear  the  rattle 
of  drums  and  the  tramp  of  boys  in  blue.  A  regiment 
of  infantry,  on  its  march  through  the  city  to  cross  the 
Long  Bridge,  and  join  contending  armies  in  Virginia, 
blocks  my  path.  Waiting  for  this  to  pass,  I  am  joined 
by  old  Broughton,  that  old  engineering  authority  having 
tramped  after  me  from  Mrs.  Bream's. 

"  Awfully  jolly  shindig,  young  man  ;  regular  Ken- 
tucky frolic  ! "  he  babbles  to  me,  made  loquacious 
by  champagne.  "Yankee  Doodle!  how  the  girls 
danced  that  Virginia  reel !  Did  you  see  me  foot  it 
with  that  little  Ashley  witch?  Hang  me,  sir,  I  made 
a  hit  with  her  !  Nothing  would  do,  but  old  Brough- 
ton must  take  her  out  on  the  balcony  ;  her  bright 
eyes  wanted  a  little  more  of  him.  What  she  doesn't 
know  about  pontoon  bridges  now — ain't  worth  know- 
ing. She's  smart  and  cute  as  a  vivandiere,  and 
beautiful  as  a  topographical  map,  sir.  By  heaven,  you 
should  have  seen  her  pretty  lips  as  she  lisped  :  '  Dear 
General,  how  long  a  bridge  will  cross  the  Rappahan- 
nock  ? '  Guessed  Burnside's  movement — guessed  it 
like  a  major-general  !  And  my  God,  what  shoulders 
and  arms  !  Reminds  me  of  Dolly  Madison,  sir,  when 
I  was  a  plebe — the  belle  of  the  army,  sir !  " 

But  Broughton's  remarks  don't  make  much  impres- 
sion upon  me  at  the  time,  though  as  I  watch  the 
venerable  military  scientist  turn  up  Pennsylvania 


152  BILLY   HAMFLTON. 

Avenue,  it  seems  to  me  curious  that  Miss  Ashley  should 
be  interested  in  pontoon  bridges, 

Then  I  go  home ;  but  not  to  sleep.  My  soft  couch 
is  harder  than  any  bivouac  ground  I  have  ever  lain 
upon.  I  toss  about  my  pillows.  A  Secret  Service 
suspect  !  Good  heavens,  what  curious  bond  is  there 
between  Eva  Ashley  and  Henri  Dubois  Arago?  Why 
is  she  grateful  to  him  /> 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   CIGAR   STORE   NEAR   THE   WAR-DEPARTMENT. 

I  DETERMINE  to  investigate  him.  Making  inquiries 
fn  a  casual  way,  so  as  not  to  attract  attention,  I  dis- 
cover that  Mr.  Arago  has  been  representing  his  cotton 
syndicate  in  Washington  ever  since  General  Butler 
captured  New  Orleans — that  is,  for  something  over  six 
months — having  arrived  at  the  capital  bringing  strong 
letters  of  recommendation  on  account  of  his  activity 
in  disclosing  concealed  Rebel  arms  in  New  Orleans, 
and  Rebel  cotton  in  the  surrounding  parishes.  In  the 
course  of  the  next  two  months, — by  political  influence 
that  the  cotton-stealers  who  have  grown  rich  out  of  this 
business  have  brought  to  bear, — Mr.  Arago  has  received 
appointment  as  a  clerk  in  the  Quartermaster-General's 
office,  and  rapidly  risen  in  that  department  on  account 
of  executive  ability  as  well  as  general  attention  to  his 
duties. 

He  has  no  funds  of  the  government  in  his  hands, 
therefore  no  attention  is  paid  to  his  conspicuous 
pursuit  of  the  goddess  of  chance  in  the  great  gambling- 
rooms  of  Washington,  it  being  generally  considered 
that  the  Creole's  wad  of  greenbacks  comes  from  his 
portion  of  the  profits  of  the  cotton-stealing  gang. 

He  has  apparently  been  on  visiting  terms  at  Mrs. 
Bream's  for  four  or  five  months,  and  probably  made 
Miss  Ashley's  acquaintance  at  the  home  of  her  aunt. 
Aside  from  his  love  of  play,  nobody  has  anything  to 
say  against  him  ;  and  his  faro  and  poker  everybody 
seems  to  think  is  his  business,  not  theirs. 

From  all  accounts  he  is  well  in  favor  with  the  powers 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  153 

that  be,  one  gentleman  giving  me  a  start  by  remark- 
ing:  "By  Jingo  I  think  he's  even  in  touch  with  Baker's 
Secret  Service  Department." 

"  What  makes  you  think  that?  "  I  ask. 

"Why,  I'm  inclined  to  imagine  that  he  kept  them 
from  pulling,  one  evening,  Jake  Burner's  second  class 
gambling-house,  that  has  brought  a  few  paymasters  to 
ruin." 

If  this  is  so,  I  reflect,  Arago  must  have  a  good  deal 
of  influence  with  Baker's  Secret  Service,  for  that  officer 
generally  does  his  work  with  grim  severity,  whenever 
he  gets  a  chance  at  gambling-houses  that  rob  Uncle 
Sam's  boys  of  their  money,  the  houses  of  ladies  who 
steal  virtue  from  the  soldiers,  and  the  general  vices  of 
the  capital,  doing  this  with  the  same  haughty  disregard 
of  constitutional  rights  that  pervades  his  treatment  of 
copperhead  newspapers,  democratic  politicians  and 
any  other  persons  or  things  the  government  desires  to 
squelch. 

But  in  the  afternoon  my  thoughts  of  Mr.  Arago  are 
practically  driven  out  of  my  mind  by  the  charms, 
witcheries  and  allurements  of  Miss  Ashley. 

At  the  time  appointed,  I  call  at  the  Lafayette  Square 
residence,  and  find  I  have  one  tremendous  advantage 
over  my  rival.  My  entire  time  is  my  own  ;  his  is 
naturally  circumscribed  by  the  duties  of  his  office. 
While  he  is  making  out  quartermaster's  requisitions,  I 
can  fight  Cupid's  battle,  and,  thanks  to  Lucy  Bream, 
have  the  delights  of  tite-cl-tite  in  which  to  do  it. 

Miss  Ashley  receives  me  with  unaffected  eaae.  Still, 
all  this  day  there  is  a  latent  air  of  triumph  about  her. 
Sometimes  I  wonder  if  it  is  not  triumph  over  me  ;  for 
she  must  know  that,  no  matter  how  remiss  I  had  been 
as  a  lover  to  Eva  Ashley,  I  am  a  regular  Romeo  to  my 
ex-captive  of  that  Potomac  night.  This  I  practically 
suggest  to  her,  though  not  in  direct  words. 

To  this  she  remarks,  blushing  a  little  :  "  Yes  ;  that  is 
a  very  pleasant  way  of  excusing  yourself.  But  do 
you  know,  I  like  to  think  of  you  best  as  the  little 
boy " 

"Great  Scott !  In  pinafores  ?  "  I  laugh. 

"Yes;  the  little  boy  who  guarded  me,  though  he 
did  it  in  a  very  lordly  way." 

"  Guarded^o«  /"I  say,  astonished. 


154  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Why,  yes.  Don't  you  remember  when  at  school 
I  got  into  trouble,  who  assumed  my  woe?  Billy 
Hamilton  !  When  by  accident  I  tore  Webster's  dic- 
tionary, who  got  up  and  lied  for  me  and  said  he  did 
it  ?  Who  took  from  the  awful  Miss  Priscilla  Sturgess, 
the  austere  Yankee  schoolmarm,  the  whacking  that 
should  have  fallen  on  my  shoulders  ?  Billy  Hamilton  ! 
Who  trounced  Sammy  Jones,  because  he  teased  me  ? 
Billy  Hamilton ! "  And  her  eyes  look  more  grate- 
fully at  me  than  they  had  done  the  evening  before  ; 
but  not  so  gratefully,  I  think,  as  they  had  gazed  upon 
Arago  once  or  twice  the  preceding  night. 

Still,  if  she  wants  to  make  a  hero  of  me,  though  I've 
forgotten  about  it,  I'm  agreeable. 

Then  /  commence  to  remember  also.  Wrhat  a  darling 
little  witch  Eva  was  at  school — how  I  had,  in  the  con- 
ceited manner  of  the  big  boy,  extended  my  protection 
over  the  little  girl — how  I  had  permitted  her  to  love  me. 
With  this  comes  the  disconcerting  thought :  "  Hang  it, 
I'm  doing-  the  loving  now  1 " 

One  reminiscence  leads  to  another.  We  get  to  chat- 
ting of  old  times,  and  finally  I  lead  her  to  Frederick 
Town,  and  that  night  on  the  Potomac. 

But  here  she  stops  me  with  low  voice :  "As  a  great 
favor  to  me,  I  beg  you  to  forget  that,  and  never  to 
speak  of  it. "  There  is  a  nervousness  in  her  manner 
that  frightens  me,  linked  as  it  comes  into  my  mind 
with  the  request  of  the  Secret  Service  Department. 

"Certainly,  your  wishes  are  my  command,"  I  mur- 
mur, though  I  cannot  help  wondering  if  she  didn't  visit 
a  Confederate  sweetheart,  why  does  Eva  Ashley  care 
so  much  to  have  that  episode  in  her  life  obliterated  ? 
"  You  know,  of  course,"  I  add,  "  I  shall  never  mention 
this  again." 

"Please,  never  do." 

"Though  I  can't  help  thinking  of  you,"  I  whisper, 
"with  the  sunshine  playing  about  you,  as  you  stroked 
Roderick's  mane." 

"Roderick?  Ah,  your  handsome  charger!"  Her 
eyes  have  lighted  with  the  fire  of  the  Southern  horse- 
woman. "Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"Eating  his  oats,  I  presume,  comfortably  in  the 
stable.  And  Bonny  Belle,  your  pretty  half-Arab 

•*   99 

mare? 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  155 

With  twitching  lips,  the  girl  mutters  :  "I  have  sold 
her — sold  my  Bonny  Belle,"  and  her  beautiful  eyes 
grow  full  of  unshed  tears. 

"Sold  her!"  I  ejaculate.      "Why?" 

"Because — can't  you  guess  it — we,  in  Virginia,  are 
so  very  poor  !  You  do  not  know  what  the  troops 
whose  uniform  you  wear  have  done  to  us ;  how  they 
have  oppressed  us  !  "  And  the  fire  in  her  eyes  burns 
up  their  tears. 

Then  she  checks  herself  and  mutters,  wringing 
her  hands  slightly  :  "  But  I  must  not  think  of  our 
wrongs.  I  am  here — far  away  from  troubles  of  that 
kind.  I  might  be  rich — God  bless  Aunt  Lucy's  kind 
heart ! — but  my  pride  won't  let  me  accept  too  much, 
even  from  her.  Though  this  little  gown  is  her  present 
to  me."  And  she  glances  at  the  pretty  but  unpreten- 
tious dress  she  is  wearing,  that,  decking  her  exquisite 
figure,  becomes  as  beautiful  as  any  robe  invented  by 
French  modiste. 

"Though  we  won't  speak  of  Bonny  Belle,"  I  remark 
"I  cannot  help  thinking  of  you  and  Roderick,  when 
you  played  with  my  charger's  mane,  and  my  hand  ac- 
cidentally touched  yours."  I  look  at  her  dimpled  mem- 
ber with  its  delicate,  white,  patrician  fingers,  and  think 
I  have  played  a  master-stroke. 

But  I  have  not ! 

"  Ah,  but  then  I  reminded  you,"  the  young  lady  says, 
"that  you  had  a  betrothed  you  had  forgotten,"  and  her 
glance  grows  stern  and  haughty.  Here  she  falters,  her 
face  ablaze  with  blushes  :  ' '  No — no  ;  I  don't  mean  that. " 

"Ah  yes,  you  do.  Betrothed — that  is  the  word 
between  you  and  me." 

"Yes,"  she  says  sarcastically.  "The  betrothed  you 
had  forgotten." 

"But  still  betrothed!" 

1 '  Not  at  present  /  "  She  draws  herself  up  haughtily, 
then  looks  at  me,  I  think,  savagely  and  sadly. 

"  You  will  not  let  me  use  that  term  to  you?  " 

"  Not  until  you  have  done  a  good  deal  more  to  earn 
it  than  you  have  so  far.  Do  you  think  it  has  been 
pleasant  to  my  pride  to  think  you  had  tossed  me  from 
even  your  memory  ? " 

"  But  I  had  not  forgotten  you,  I  was  always  think* 
ing  of  the  girl  in  the  gray  riding-habit " 


156  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

This  touch  perchance  makes  her  slightly  more  conv 
plaisant  to  me  ;  but  as  I  look  at  her  I  can  see  I  am  go- 
ing to  have  no  favored  lover's  privileges.  Those  lips 
that  are  so  tempting,  seem  a  thousand  miles  away. 

Just  at  this  moment,  Lucy  Bream  comes  in  and 
startles  me  by  saying  :  "  Good  gracious,  you  here  yet, 
Billy  ? " 

"  Holy  poker,  do  you  begrudge  me  a  few  minutes  ! 
You're  not  as  hospitable  as  you  were  last  night,"  I 
laugh. 

"  Is  n't  two  hours  long  enough  for  a.  first  interview  ?  " 
she  laughs.  "  Have  you  persuaded  Eva  that  she  once 
loved  a  little  boy  ?  " 

Then,  oh,  the  blushes  on  the  face  I  am  gazing  at ! 

But  the  girl  says  lightly:  "It  is  of  such  little  conse- 
quence— loving  little  boys.  Loving  men  is  the  more 
important  matter. " 

But  here  perhaps  a  little  of  the  coquette  coming  into 
her  pansy  eyes,  Miss  Eve  gives  me  one  ray  of  hope. 
She  whispers  to  the  matron  :  "Can  I  invite  him?" 

"Certainly." 

"To-morrow  evening  we're  going  to  the  theatre, 
Billy.  Would  you  like  to  join  us  in  our  box  at  Ford's  ?  " 

"  Wouldn't  I  ?  I  could  sit  through  a  whole  perform- 
ance, only  looking  at  your  shoulders." 

At  this  the  two  ladies  burst  into  merriment,  as  I,  a 
latent  hope  in  my  heart,  glancing  at  my  watch,  find  I 
have  been  there  two  hours. 

Shaking  both  ladies  by  the  hand,  I  note  Lucy  Bream's 
clasp  is  cordial  and  Miss  Ashley's  but  an  endured  salu- 
tation. 

Out  in  the  avenue,  I  mutter  to  myself :  "  A  long  siege, 
much  strategy,  and  then  a  desperate  assault,  before  that 
citadel  can  be  retaken. " 

Ah,  Billy  Hamilton  !  When  you  let  a  child's  love 
pass  away  from  you,  you  did  not  know  how  precious 
the  woman's  would  become  ! 

During  half  an  hour's  walk,  I  decide  upon  my  plan 
of  campaign.  First  and  foremost,  I  must  make  Eve 
love  me — if  I  can?  Second,  I  must  destroy  Arago's 
influence  over  her,  whatever  it  is — if  possible? 

I  continue  my  investigations  in  regard  to  that 
gentleman,  but  with  unsatisfactory  results.  True,  he 
is  a  gambler,  but  many  dashing,  high-spirited  young 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  157 

men  of  that  day  were  votaries  of  cards  and  chance, 
and  nobody  thought  the  worse  of  them  for  it. 

Still,  I  think  I  will  see  a  little  more  of  the  gentleman 
than  I  have  lately  ;  but  during  the  day  this  is  difficult 
to  do,  for  Arago,  and  for  that  matter  Finnaker  and  all 
in  the  Quartermaster-General's  office,  are  very  busy. 

Late  on  Friday  night,  however,  1  discover  him  at 
Chamberlin's.  Arago  is  playing  as  usual,  and  to  my 
astonishment  seems  to  feel  the  strain  of  the  game. 
At  least  he  is  nervous — an  emotion  he  has  never  dis- 
played at  faro  before,  though  I  have  seen  him  play 
for  higher  stakes. 

On  seeing  me,  however,  he  seems  to  become  jovial, 
and  giving  up  the  green  table,  we  two  take  a  drink  to- 
gether. During  this  he  jokes  :  "  Been  to  see  your  old 
friend  Baker  again,  eh  ?  " 

"No,"  I  laugh ;  "you  need  not  miss  another  shot 
at  billiards  on  his  account ;  "  and  rather  think  I  may 
startle  him. 

But  to  my  dismay,  the  Creole's  eyes  light  up  with  a 
triumph  he  cannot  conceal.  He  becomes  extraordi- 
narily happy  and  jovial,  even  laughs  with  me  at  his 
losing  his  money  at  billiards  to  such  a  duffer  as  Finna- 
ker. Then  producing  his  cigar-case,  he  proffers  in  his 
light,  elegant  and  winning  Southern  manner,  one  of 
his  famous  Bouquets  Especiales,  in  fact,  presses  two  or 
three  upon  me,  saying  :  "You looked  a  little  surly,  my 
dear  fellow,  when  I  took  her  away  from  you  to  supper 
the  other  evening ;  but  you  must  get  accustomed  to 
that."  His  eyes  grow  luminous,  and  sensuous;  in  his 
imagination  I  am  sure  he  sees  the  girl  I  love  and  sees 
her  as  his  own. 

"I  am  not  accustomed  to  getting  used  to  anything 
I  don't  like,  Mr.  Arago,  and  I  object  to  your  tone  to 
me,"  I  remark  coolly  but  imperiously. 

"  Ah  then,  please  accept  my  apologies.  I  beg  your 
pardon,"  he  murmurs,  so  humbly  that  I  am  compelled 
to  receive  his  amende.  Anyway,  I  can't  quarrel  about 
her  in  a  gambling-house.  But  even  as  I  do  so,  I 
catch  his  Creole  glance  once  more,  and  it  shocks 
me.  Into  his  eyes  has  come  a  look  of  pity,  perhaps 
even  contempt;  he  seems  to  think  me  but  a  poor  op- 
ponent in  the  game  he  is  playing.  For  somehow  it 
strikes  me  that  the  triumph  in  his  eyes  comes  not  alto- 


158  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

gether  frcrtn  his  success  over  me  in  the  ball-room  with 
Eva  Ashley.  He  seems  to  have  suddenly  taken  upon 
himself  a  renewed  and  most  buoyant  confidence  en- 
tirely unwarranted  by  the  slight  advantages  of  escort- 
ing Miss  Ashley  to  supper  and  getting  the  most  of  her 
dances  at  Mrs.  Bream's  soirte. 

As  L  leave  him,  for  now  he  seems  to  waste  but  little 
attention  upon  me,  having  returned  to  his  faro  game, 
crying  vivaciously:  "I  put  fifty  on  the  queen,  and 
copper  the  jack  with  twenty  !  "  I  know  that  Henri 
Dubois  Arago  and  I  are  enemies. 

Going  home  I  turn  the  matter  over  in  my  mind,  and 
this  curious  suggestion  strikes  me  like  a  rifle-shot.  The 
Creole  knew  1  had  instructions  from  the  Secret  Service 
office  in  regard  to  the  young  lady  I  had  captured  at 
Norton's  Ford  ;  my  foolhardy  information  to  him  as  I 
made  my  billiard  test  has  shown  Arago  that !  In  some 
way  he  knows  that  Eva  Ashley  is  the  girl  I  captured 
on  the  Potomac  ;  furthermore,  he  must  be  aware  I 
have  recognized  her  at  Mrs.  Bream's  as  my  ex-captive. 
I  have  told  him,  I  have  not  seen  Baker  ;  ergo,  I  have 
not  reported  my  discovery.  Perhaps  my  negligence 
in  this  makes  him  think  he  has  a  hold  upon  me. 

This  view  of  the  matter  seems  a  very  serious  one, 
as  I  reflect  that  every  day  I  fail  to  report  my  discovery 
of  the  girl  I  met  at  Frederick  to  Uncle  Sam's  detective 
bureau,  the  greater  chance  Arago  has  of  placing  me 
under  the  suspicion  and  condemnation  of  the  War 
Office,  who  have  made  me  their  spy. 

"  By  Jove,  they  may  put  me  in  the  old  Capital  pris- 
on— that  would  give  him  a  fair  field,"  I  cogitate  rue- 
fully. But  dissecting  this  idea  the  second  time,  I 
throw  away  any  thought  of  immediate  annoyance  to 
Miss  Ashley  or  danger  to  myself  on  this  point,  as  Arago 
has  seemed  as  anxious  as  I  to  shield  the  young  lady 
from  scrutiny  or  surveillance,  if  his  remark  about  the 
Treasury  young  lady  indicates  anything. 

Anyway,  though  the  concealment  of  her  identity 
may  bring  annoyance,  perhaps  condemnation  upon 
me,  she,  standing  under  the  very  wings  of  the  great 
War  Senator,  who  I  know  is  truckled  to  for  his  vote, 
eloquence  and  influence  by  the  government  itself,  who 
is  regarded  as  strong  a  Union  man  as  any  War-Senator 
or  War-Governor  in  the  land — the  niece  of  his  wife,  an 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  159 

inmate  of  his  household — the  most  that  can  come  to 
Eva  Vernon  Ashley  will  be  a  most  polite  request  to 
kindly  visit  Mr.  Stanton  in  company  with  her  aunt 
and  tell  him  of  her  movements  during  that  September 
evening.  "  Dash  it !  "  I  laugh,  "  she's  as  safe  as  if  she 
lived  in  the  White  House  !  Besides — egad  !  "  I  con- 
tinue, "I  can  shield  myself  under  her  wing.  I  have 
but  to  mention  that  though  I  discovered  the  young 
lady,  I  found  that  she  was  of  such  loyal  standing,  so 
intimately  connected  with  the  patriotic  Senator  Bream, 
that  I  did  not  wish  to  bring  his  family  under  any  slur 
that  might  come  to  them  from  Baker's  too  alert  de« 
tectives." 

"  By  Jove,  with  the  Senator  standing  by  me,  I  can 
rout  every  government  spy  from  here  to  Michigan  !  " 
I  laugh,  and  grow  rather  merry  over  this  matter. 

Smoking  the  last  of  Arago's  fine  cigars  the  next 
morning,  it  suddenly  occurs  to  me  I'll  have  a  box  or 
two  of  these  for  myself,  and  incidentally  see  what 
Mr.  Bermudas  says  about  his  customer. 

Consequently,  about  eleven  o'clock  on  Saturday 
morning,  I  wander  into  the  cigar  store  next  to  Mulloy's 
Generals'  Bar-room.  This  has  not  so  many  brigadiers 
in  it  as  on  previous  occasions.  Some  of  them  have 
gone  to  the  front,  for  the  army  is  now  in  motion  ; 
the  rest  of  them  are  mighty  busy  in  forwarding  sup- 
plies to  it  and  on  general  staff  duties. 

The  little  cigar-store  is  very  much  like  any  other 
little  cigar-store.  It  has  the  inevitable  wooden  figure 
of  the  Indian  chief  in  front  of  it  and,  apparently 
to  reduce  the  rent,  a  bootblack's  stand  in  the  back 
portion  of  the  shop,  at  which  a  darkey,  as  I  make  my 
purchases,  is  polishing  boots  at  five  cents  a  shine.  I 
am  waited  upon  by  Senor  Bermudas  himself.  To  him 
I  mention  my  name,  stating  Mr.  Arago  had  advised 
me  to  try  his  particular  brand  of  cigars. 

"  Caspitat  he's  a  very  good  customer,"  says  Bermu- 
das, a  genial-mannered  Cuban,  with  a  voice  soft  and 
soothing  as  the  smoke  of  his  own  cigars. 

"Here  are  the  Bouquets  Especiales — Colorado  you 
wish,  Senor  Capitan  ?  "  he  remarks. 

Making  my  selections,  I  take  from  a  box  I  purchase, 
a  few  cigars  for  my  case.  With  one  in  my  mouth,  I 
turn  about  for  a  light 


l6o  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

"Here,  Quashie,"  cries  Bermudas.  "Fire  for  the 
Senor. " 

At  his  word  the  boot-black,  who  has  just  finished 
shining  an  under-Treasury  clerk's  shoes,  steps  to  me. 
As  I  light  my  cigar  nonchalantly  I  gaze  at  him.  "By 
the  Lord,  Cuffy,"  I  cry,  in  the  careless  tone  of  one  ad- 
dressing a  nigger,  "You  have  got  a  smashed  eye!" 
For  the  appearance  of  one  side  of  the  black's  face  is 
something  terrific. 

"'Deed  I  has,  Massa,"  mutters  the  black  promptly. 
"Yo'd  t'ink  yo'  had  one  too,  if  a  damn  U.  S.  Guber- 
ment  mule  smacked  you  in  de  jaw  wid  his  behind  hoof. 
Ef  yo'  don't  believe  me,  yo'  jest  get  behind  one  of 
Massa  Linkum's  teams  down  near  Twenty-secon'  an' 
G  Streets." 

"Yes,  we  must  all  look  out  for  Uncle  Sam.  He 
kicks  hard  and  strong,"  I  laugh,  thinking  perhaps  to 
give  Senor  Bermudas,  who  is  suspected  of  secession 
proclivities,  a  timely  warning. 

So,  followed  by  a  little  laugh  from  two  or  three  loung- 
ing purchasers  or  bystanders,  I  take  my  way,  carrying 
two  boxes  of  cigars,  smoking  which  I  shall  spend  some 
of  the  most  terrific  hours  that  ever  came  to  any  man. 

One  of  these  comes  to  me  this  very  night ! 

About  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  I  stroll  down  F 
Street,  and  turning  along  Tenth  come  to  Ford's  The- 
atre, a  plain  stuccoed  building,  which  nearly  three 
years  afterwards  was  brought  into  most  melancholy 
prominence  by  the  assassination  of  our  nation's  Pres- 
ident after  he  had  done  his  work  upon  the  earth. 

At  present  this  little  theatre  is  a  scene  of  happy  mer- 
riment and  boisterous  laughter. 

Though  Saturday  is  technically  called  "Niggers' 
night  "  in  the  South,  a  good-sized  audience  is  present, 
many  of  them  officers  ;  the  enormous  local  garrison, 
which  generally  numbers  twenty-five  thousand  men, 
assuring  that. 

Among  the  blue  uniforms  and  black  coats  are  scat-- 
tered  a  good  many  ladies,  quite  a  contingent  of  them 
young,  charming  and  beautiful,  but  none  so  lovely  as 
the  fair  girl  who  sits  beside  pretty  Mrs.  Bream  in  stage- 
box  A,  the  two  ladies  being  well  backgrounded  by  the 
massive  form  of  the  truculent  War-Senator,  who  is 
behind  them  in  black  broadcloth  coat,  cut  rather  too 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  l6l 

big  for  him,  his  low  velvet  vest  displaying  a  border- 
state  expanse  of  rumpled  and  crumpled  shirt-front. 

As  I  enter,  a  burst  of  laughter  greets  me.  Every 
one  is  enjoying  John  E.  Owen  in  his  marvellous  role 
of  "Solon  Shingle"  in  The  People's  Lawyer.  The  next 
moment  I  join  the  box  party,  greet  Mrs.  Bream  and 
her  niece,  shake  hands  with  the  Senator,  and  seat  my- 
self behind  Miss  Ashley's  statuesque  shoulders.  But 
get  little  attention  from  her,  for  all  through  the  piece 
she  is  laughing  till  the  tears  run  down  her  fair  cheeks 
— as  for  that  matter,  so  are  the  whole  of  us,  the  Senator 
swallowing  a  chew  of  tobacco  in  his  uproarious  mer~ 
riment. 

Between  the  acts  we  all  get  to  chatting  together — 
for  a  moment  on  the  play  ;  afterwards  on  other  mat- 
ters. Glancing  at  the  audience,  Mr.  Senator  Bream 
remarks:  "I  think  I'll  go  down  and  see  poor  Gen- 
eral Braxton." 

"  Yes,"  titters  his  spouse.  "Poor  General  Braxton 
is  getting  up  to  go  out.  But  why  do  you  call  him 
poor  j3  " 

"Well,  the  unfortunate  fellow's  got  a  secesh  wife. 
She  drives  him  to  drink." 

"And  how  about  the  unfortunate  secesh  wife?"  re- 
marks Miss  Ashley  suddenly  and  sarcastically  ;  then 
laughs:  "I  hope,  Uncle  Rufus,  that  you  don't  make 
Aunt  Lucy's  having  been  born  in  Virginia  an  excuse 
for  visiting  bar-rooms." 

"Not  the  slightest,  my  dear.  I  visit  them  without 
excuse,"  chuckles  the  Senator  ;  then  whispers,  laying 
an  affectionate  hand  upon  his  spouse's  shoulder :  "I 
have  perfect  confidence  in  the  patriotism  of  my  wife 
and  the  unfaltering  loyal  Unionism  of  my  dear  little 
niece."  With  this  the  political  magnate  strolls  out  of 
the  box,  leaving  Miss  Ashley  with  very  red  cheeks  and 
a  kind  of  spasm  of  anguish  in  her  eyes. 

Suddenly  she  breaks  out  upon  me,  as  if  to  get  some- 
thing out  of  her  mind:  "You  have  not  told  me,  my 
Union  Provost-Marshal,  how  you  left  your  father,  and 
dear  Virginia,  and  sweet  little  Birdie  in  Baltimore." 

"Oh,  they're  quite  well,  I  believe,  especially  Birdie. 
I  haven't  seen  much  of  them  since  I  became  sponsor 
for  their  loyalty,"  I  mutter. 

"Why  especially  Birdie  ? "  asks  the  girl  astonished. 


1 62  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Thus  adjured,  I  recklessly  run  into  a  narrative  of  my 
return  to  my  family,  my  posing  as  trooper  in  the  Jeff 
Davis'  Confederate  Legion,  my  stories  of  Major  Ana- 
nias's  dashing  rides  with  Stuart's  cavalry,  the  awful 
catastrophe  that  came  upon  me  when  it  was  announced 
that  I  had  been  appointed  Union  Provost-Marshal,  and 
from  this  I  pass  into  a  description  of  handsome  Arthur 
Vermilye,  of  the  artillery,  one  of  my  brother  officers, 
winning,  with  my  connivance,  sweet  little  Birdie's 
love. 

During  this,  Mrs.  Bream  has  laughed  heartily  several 
times,  but  here  her  niece  startles  and  horrifies  me.  I 
think  I  hear  her  sigh  out:  "What  an  ineffable  apos- 
tate ? " 

"Oh,  you  needn't  look  so  severe,  Miss,"  laughs  the 
aunt.  "Supposing  Miss  Birdie  does  elope,  it's  an  aw- 
fully good  match  for  her." 

But  the  girl,  tapping  the  rail  of  the  box  with  her  fan, 
nervously,  murmurs  :  "  Dear,  weak  little  Birdie." 

"  Weak,  in  gaining  handsome  Captain  Vermilye  for 
a  husband  ?  "  ejaculates  Lucy  Bream. 

Here  the  girl  astounds  us  both.  She  swings  round 
on  us,  her  eyes  blazing,  and  remarks:  "Weak,  in 
not  making  Captain  Vermilye  jump  over  to  her  side  of 
the  fence  to  woo  her,  instead  of  her  crawling  through 
the  hedge  to  his  political  pasture."  Then  she  goes  on, 
her  face  seeming  inspired  by  some  subtle  emotion  : 
"Every  girl  in  this  war  should  at  least  make  one 
convert. " 

"What  convert?"!  ask. 

"  The  man  who  loves  her  !  Every  girl  should  at  least 
do  that.  Her  arms  should  only  go  round  the  man 
whose  heart  throbs  with  her  heart — whose  triumph  is 
her  joy  !  " 

"  Humph  /  "  I  jeer.  "That  depends  upon  who  loves 
the  strongest." 

"Ah!  Who — loves — the — strongest."  This  is  sighed 
out.  Then,  looking  into  my  face,  she  half  sneers  : 
"Who  loves  the  strongest  will  be  the  weakest  in  pa- 
triotism, eh,  Captain  Hamilton?" 

But  I  have  no  chance  to  answer  this.  The  Senator 
comes  in,  wiping  his  moustache,  the  curtain  goes  up, 
the  house  breaks  into  screams  of  laughter  at  John  E. 
Owens  in  that  roaring  farce,  The  Live  Indian. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  163 

But  after  this  is  over,  as  the  green  curtain  falls,  Miss 
Ashley  turns  to  me,  and,  with  curious  change  in  her 
manner,  permits  me  to  cloak  her.  As  my  hands  trem- 
ble arranging  the  draperies  about  the  beautiful  shoul- 
ders, she  gazes  at  me  with  a  look  that  makes  my  heart 
beat  very  fast.  "Thank  you,  Billy,"  she  murmurs. 
"Now  you  remind  me  of  the  little  boy  that  took  such 
good  care  of  the  little  girl." 

It  is  not  the  speech,  but  the  manner  of  it  that  causes 
me  to  walk  on  air  ;  that  makes  the  theatre,  half  empty 
now,  its  plain  seats  and  benches  in  full  view,  seem 
Elysium,  as  I  offer  my  arm  to  Eva  Ashley  and  follow 
Mrs.  Bream  and  her  husband  from  the  box.  For  there 
is  a  confiding  clutch  in  the  little  hand  that  is  on  my 
arm,  and  the  graceful  head  seems  to  nestle  very  close  to 
my  shoulder,  as  we  come  down  the  few  stairs  and  step 
out  into  the  lobby. 

A  moment  later  I  put  her  into  the  carriage,  and  she 
gives  me  another  joy.  Mrs.  Bream  suggests:  "We 
are  to  have  a  little  quiet  supper  at  home ;  won't  you^ 
join  us  ?  " 

"Yes,  won't  you,  Captain  Hamilton  ?  "  comes  to  me 
in  Eve's  voice  pleadingly. 

For  answer,  I  step  in  beside  her  and  am,  for  a  short 
hour,  the  happiest  man  in  Washington  ;  for  at  the  little 
supper-party  my  goddess  seems  to  have  become  like 
the  girl  that  morning  at  Frederick — free,  unaffected, 
sweet  to  me. 

I  bid  them  good-bye,  and  she,  running  out  in  the 
hall  after  me,  whispers:  "To-morrow,  take  me  to 
church — won't  you,  Billy?" 

"With  Mrs.  Bream?" 

"  No  ;  all  by  ourselves.     I  am  an  Episcopalian.* 

"Then  if  you're  an  Episcopalian,  so  am  I,"  I  answer. 
"What  isjyour  church  is  my  church." 

"Ah — then  what  is  my "  but  whatever  is  in  her 

mind,  she  checks  herself,   and   extending   a   gracious 
hand,  says  shortly  :   "Good-night." 

This  time  it  is  not  an  endured  salutation.  Her  soft 
white  fingers  clasp  mine  as  I  look  into  her  eyes  ;  but 
these  droop  under  my  glance  ;  her  beautiful  head  is 
turned  slightly  away,  in  graceful  bashfulness. 

"Good-night,"  she  murmurs,  and  as  if  afraid  of  her< 
self,  runs  from  me. 


164  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Good-night,"  I  say,  my  eyes  on  fire,  my  soul  in 
heaven  ;  and  though  the  night  is  dark,  I  walk  home 
amid  sunshine. 

As  I  stride  along  Lafayette  Square,  I  cogitate  : 
"What  the  devil  has  caused  this  change  in  her?"  But 
whatever  it  is,  I  don't  care  ;  it  makes  me  happy. 

Arriving  at  my  F  Street  boarding-house,  I  sit  down, 
and  over  one  of  Arago's  exquisite  Bouquets  Espiciales  I 
chuckle:  "By  hookey,  my  Quartermaster-General's 
clerk,  you  haven't  much  chance  when  you  run  against 
a  cavalry  boy.  Anyway,  I'm  in  heaven  1 " 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

SPECIAL    ORDER   NO.    14 IO. 

INTO  this  heaven  suddenly  comes  the  roll  of  war ! 
Little  Finnaker,  hardly  waiting  for  my  cheery  "Come 
in,"  enters  the  room,  his  face  pale,  his  eyes  excited. 
"I — I  couldn't  sleep,  I'm  so  flabbergasted,"  he  whis- 
pers.     "There's  the  devil  to  pay  with  us/" 
'  What  is  it  ?  " 

'  This  is  dark— but  it's  hell !  " 
'  Well,  what's  the  row  now  ?  " 
'  This  is  most  strictly  private  !  " 
'  Have  I  ever  blabbed  of  your  pontoon  order?" 
'  It's  about  that  I    My  God,  there's  the  devil  to  pay ! 
You  heard  me  tell  you  that  we  sent  down  a  special 
requisition  number  1410,  to  the  Depot  Quartermaster, 
calling  for  eighty  pontoons  and  two  thousand  feet  of 
bridge,  to  be  got  ready  at  once  ?  " 
"  Yes,  certainly." 

"Well,  special  order  1410  to  Depot  Quartermaster 
has  been  forged  or  altered.  Lee'll  get  to  Fredericks- 
burg  before  our  pontoon  trains — and  then  God  help 
Burnside  ! " 

"A  special  order  of  the  Quartermaster-General's 
forged  or  altered!"  I  gasp.  "Impossible!  I  know 
their  checks  and  routine. " 

"  Don't  fly  off;  listen  to  me  !  "  breaks  in  Finnaker, 
"  This  evening — only  an  hour  ago — we  sent  down  to 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  165 

ask  Depot  Quartermaster  when  he  would  have  requisi- 
tion 1410  ready.  Curse  it,  he  knocked  us  off  our  feet. 
He  replied  that  requisition  No.  1410  had  been  filled 
and  ready  to  start  for  two  days.  T,\is  astounded  us, 
eighty  pontoons  and  two  thousand  feet  of  bridge  got 
ready  in  a  few  hours.  Meigs  sent  me  down  to  see 
about  it.  At  the  depot  I  found  there  were  only  eight 
pontoons  and  two  hundred  feet  of  bridge — good  Lord, 
just  a  tenth  of  the  order.  What  use  is  that  to  bridge 
the  Rappahannock  at  Fredericksburg  ?  " 

' '  Then  it  is  Fredericksburg  ?  "  I  say,  chewing  the 
end  of  my  cigar. 

"Yes,  we  know  it  now  in  the  department." 

"But  how  did  the  mistake  occur?  " 

"That's  the  devilish  part  of  it.  Our  order-book 
copy  reads  eighty  pontoons  in  both  letters  and  figures, 
and  two  thousand  feet  of  bridge  in  both  letters  and 
figures  ;  and  the  requisition  received  and  on  file  at  the 
Depot  Quartermaster's  reads  eight,  in  both  letters  and 
figures,  of  pontoons,  and  two  hundred  feet,  in  both 
letters  and  figures,  of  bridge.  Those  eighty  pontoons 
should  have  moved  to-morrow  ;  at  the  latest,  on  Mon- 
day. You  know,  Burnside  has  started  his  command 
to-day ;  the  pontoons  were  to  have  met  his  advanced 
divisions  at  Fredericksburg,  and  Sumner's  army  corps 
was  to  have  immediately  crossed  and  instantly  en- 
trenched itself  in  the  heights  beyond ;  then  the  cross- 
ing of  the  rest  of  the  army  would  have  been  assured. 
Now,  if  Lee  gets  there  before  the  pontoons,  Burnside 
is  blocked." 

"But  how  did  the  mistake  occur?"  I  ask,  running 
through  my  mind  the  usual  military  formula  of  the 
Quartermaster-General's  office,  which  would  certainly 
prevent  it. 

"The  order  left  us  all  right ;  of  that  we're  certain  ! 
I  myself  and  two  other  clerks  saw  Arago  give  it  to 
Lommox.  That  damned  Irish  traitor  is  under  arrest 
now,  for  just  as  sure  as  Lommox  delivered  the  re- 
quisition that  is  now  at  the  Depot  Quartermaster's 
it  reads  eight  pontoons  and  two  hundred  feet  of 
bridge. " 

"Lommaxa  traitor?"  I  cry.  "Nonsense!  He  is 
as  blundering  and  honest  an  Irishman  as  ever  lived  I 
How  long  did  he  take  to  deliver  the  order  ? " 


166  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  He  reported  back  in  ten  minutes  ;  six  going  and 
four  returning. " 

"That's  quick  enough  ;  five  good  long  blocks  each 
way,  after  dark,  in  streets  crowded  as  they  are  round 
the  Quartermaster's  depot." 

"  Yes,"  remarks  Finnaker.  "  That's  the  devil  of  it ! 
The  orderly  made  about  the  right  time,  and  it's  certain 
that  requisition  could  not  have  been  changed  or  forged 
in  a  moment.  The  order  reads, — so  they  tell  me — all 
right,  as  regards  penmanship,  at  the  Depot-Quarter- 
master's office." 

"  What  does  Lommax  say  ?  " 

"  He  says  nothing,  but  curses  low  and  deep,  and  re- 
peats that  he  received  the  order  at  6  145  and  delivered 
it  at  6  :  51  p.  M.  as  shown  by  the  receipts." 

"Then  the  trouble  is  with  Arago,"  I  cry,  anxious  to 
make  things  hard  for  my  Creole  rival. 

*'  Nonsense  1  I  and  another  clerk  stood  by  Arago  as 
he  copied  it.  While  it  was  drying,  he  went  off  to  wash 
his  hands  and  ran  over  to  Bermudas's  for  a  few  cigars. 
When  he  came  back  we  had  it  sealed  in  the  envelope 
and  I  walked  out  with  him  and  saw  him  deliver  it 
to  Lommax.  We  were  chatting  together  about  some- 
thing else  at  the  time." 

"Did  Arago  call  your  attention  to  his  folding  up  the 
order?" 

"Hang  it.  He  didn't  fold  the  order.  I  folded  it  in 
the  presence  of  Wilkins,  the  other  clerk.  My  eyes  never 
left  the  envelope  till  I  saw  Arago  deliver  it  to  Lommox. 
I  can  swear  to  it;  Arago's  all  right  ;  it's  that  damned 
Irish  traitor  certain!"  He  always  looks  saucily  at  me 
when  I  boss  him  ;  he's  a  disloyal  scoundrel  sure  as 
poor  Colonel  Ellsworth  died  in  my  arms." 

"Pooh,"  I  mutter,  "Lommox  has  risked  his  life  on 
too  many  battlefields  to  be  called  traitor  now.  How 
does  Arago  take  it  ?  " 

"Beautifully  !  He's  cool  as  a  julep!  It  is  the  big 
guns  that  are  raging.  Stanton's  over  at  our  office, 
giving  us  all  fury.  Meigs  is  raising  the  deuce  with  his 
assistants — and  they  are  giving  their  clerks  glory  halle- 
lujah I  As  for  the  Depot-Quartermaster,  he  says  stiffly 
he  obeyed  orders  as  he  got  'em  and  he  don't  care  a  cuss 
for  anybody." 

"What  are  they  doing?  " 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  167 

"Working  like  beavers — they'll  get  the  pontoon  train 
off  by  the  zoth,  and  it  may  get  there  in  time,  but  I 
4oubt  it  -especially  if  it  rains  and  makes  the  roads 
bad — you  KVIOW  Virginia  mud." 

' '  Where's  Lommox  ?  " 

"At  his  quarters,  under  arrest  and  cautioned  to  say 
nothing  about  it.  That's  the  cue  of  all  of  us.  Good 
lord,  if  the  newspapers  get  hold  of  it — flaming  head- 
lines "ANOTHER  BLUNDER!" — "PROVISIONAL  GOVERN- 
MENT," and  all  that,  don't  you  see  !  As  for  Stanton,  I 
heard  him  say,  '  By  the  God  of  Heaven,  when  I  catch 
the  traitor  who  did  this  I'll  hang  him  high  enough  for 
the  whole  Army  to  see  him,  and  Lee's  Army  too  !  My 
lord  !  the  way  he  looked  make  my  blood  run  cold, 
and  I've  been  in  four  pitched  battles,  I  have.  So  keep 
it  dark.  Keep  it  close.  But  then  I  know  1  can  trust 
you  as  I  would  myself !  " 

"  Better  1"  I  say  grimly  as  Finnaker  goes  off  ex- 
citedly. 

The  affair,  though  it  interests  me,  doesn't  excite  me 
very  much.  If  the  pontoons  don't  reach  Burnside  in 
time  and  he  finds  Lee  ahead  of  him  and  intrenched, 
he  must  turn  back  and  try  another  way  to  Richmond. 
I  reflect  as  I  puff  cigar  smoke  about  me.  For  at 
this  time,  I  did  not  guess  the  tremendous  political 
and  popular  pressure  that  would  be  brought  to  bear  on 
that  doomed  commander  to  force  him  on  to  the  awful 
disaster  of  Fredericksburg — when,  on  that  dread  night 
of  the  thirteenth  of  December,  had  Stonewall  Jackson's 
advice  been  followed  Lee  would  probably  have  made 
an  end  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  perhaps  the 
American  Union  also.* 

As  it  is,  my  mind  chiefly  turns  to  the  predicament  of 
the  honest  Irish  sergeant.  "Poor  devil  Lommox,"  I 
mutter.  "  Lommox  !  "  What  were  the  words  I  heard 
Arago  whisper  that  evening  to  the  girl  at  the  corner  of 
Thirteenth  &  E  Streets  ?  "  Make  sure  I  shall  give  thf 
despatch  to  Lommox  /  "  The  lady  on  the  corner  of  Thir- 
teenth &  E  Streets  was  Miss  Eva  Ashley  ! 

My  God,  the  girl  I  love  I " 

Then  suddenly  Mr.  Arago 's  exquisite  Bouquet  Espi- 
ciale  becomes  bitter  as  gall  in  my  mouth — the  room 
grows  dark  to  me  !  O  powers  of  Heaven  1  wha*  a 
*  See  Appendix.-— ED. 


1 68  BILLY  HAMILTON. 

night  I  spend  !  What  can  I  do — if  my  half-formed 
fears  are  correct  ? 

Nothing  ! — at  all  events,  nothing  for  the  present. 

I  try  to  sleep  but  cannot,  and  the  next  morning  going 
desperately  to  the  Lafayette  Square  mansion  have  my 
anxieties  practically  knocked  out  of  me. 

In  answer  to  my  card,  Miss  Eve  floats  down  to  the 
parlor  looking  beautiful  as  a  Venus,  fresh  as  a  wood 
nymph  and  innocent  as  an  angel.  Dressed  in  some 
light  walking  dress,  for  this  Indian-summer  day  is 
warm  and  balmy,  she  seems  to  me  a  fairy,  beneficent 
and  charming.  "  She  might  carry  a  little  information 
between  lines,"  I  reflect  as  I  look  her  over  with  lover's 
eyes:  "many  a  Southern  maid  has  done  that!  But 
block  the  march  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  ? — Never  !  " 

Comforting  myself  with  this  conclusion,  I  address 
myself  to  the  object  of  my  fears  who  stands  before  me, 
a  delicately-gloved  hand  extended  cordially,  but  a 
piquant  pout  on  her  coral  lips,  murmuring  reproach- 
fully :  "  Captain  Brown-Study,  you  haven't  said  good- 
morning." 

"Haven't  I  ?  "  I  say,  with  a  start. 

"No,  and  you  haven't  told  me  how  you  liked  my 
dress.  I  made  it  myself,"  she  goes  on  with  that  most 
charming,  subtle,  and  deadly  coquetry  to  the  masculine 
heart — that  I-lean-on-you  business. — What  you  think 
is  right,  goes. — You  are  so  strong  and  I  am  so  de- 
pendent. 

Ah,  the  power  of  woman  through  her  very  weakness  ! 

Thus  adjured  I  give  the  little  hand  a  tender  squeeze, 
cast  my  eyes  over  the  garment,  and  taking  advantage 
of  my  opportunity  enjoy  a  beauty  feast. 

But  perchance  lingering  too  long  over  this,  my  en- 
chantress bursts  out  laughing:  "What  do  you  know 
about  hoops,  ruffles  and  flounces  ?  Oh,  mercy,  the 
dragoon  is  trying  to  talk  like  Monsieur  Worth,  that 
man-milliner  in  Paris." 

Suddenly  she  brings  to  bear  upon  me  another  most 
artful,  yet  potent  feminine  witchery.  She  shows  she 
takes  a  profound  personal  interest  in  me ;  she  cries  : 
"Good  Heavens,  Billy  !  You  look  as  if  you  had  been 
up  all  night." 

"No,  I  went  home  straight  from  you." 

"Well,  you  look  fearfully  dissipated  any  way — I — " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  169 

here  sne  grows  bashful  and  diffidently  suggests  :  "I 
hope  you  haven't  been  gambling  at  your  own  rooms," 
then  sighs,  "So  many  young  men  ruin  themselves  in 
that  way." 

Catchiirg  a  glimpse  of  my  face  in  a  neighboring 
mirror,  I  perceive  that  a  sleepless  and  intensely  anxious 
night  has  given  me  a  decidedly  rout  appearance  this 
morning. 

I  can't  tell  her  what  caused  it — at  all  events  not  until 
I  have  to  speak  to  her  to  save  her — so  I  mutter,  with 
a  little  yellow  laugh,  "Well,  take  me  to  church,  Miss 
Angel,  and  let  the  minister,  exhort  the  dissipation  out 
of  me." 

"Come!"  and  the  girl  leads  the  way  out  of  the 
house  towards  St.  John's. 

It  is  scarcely  a  step,  but  in  that  moment  Eva  Ashley 
changes.  Before,  the  bright  girl  of  earth,  she  now  be- 
comes the  protegee  of  Heaven. 

As  we  enter  the  portals  of  the  house  of  God,  I  know 
I  love  a  truly  good  girl  ;  one  who  believes  in  her  relig- 
ion— one  who  loves  her  Redeemer.  As  the  soft  strains 
of  the  organ  come  to  our  ears,  the  beautiful  eyes  beam 
devoutly,  the  exquisite  face  grows  more  lovely  because 
it  grows  more  holy.  Eva  Ashley  sinks  down  kneeling 
in  the  pew  and  whispers  her  petition  to  heaven  and 
seems  to  pass  away  from  earth's  troubles  and  earth's 
passions.  Throughout  both  service  and  sermon,  I,  and 
all  other  temporal  things,  seem  apart  from  her.  What 
sinner  could  fail  to  be  impressed  with  such  a  saint  ? 
And  I — rough-riding  cavalryman,  curiously  careless  of 
spiritual  things,  as  most  of  us  were  in  those  days,  when 
death  was  so  near  to  us — can't  help  praying  with  her 
and  feeling  in  my  heart  I  am  not  worthy  of  her.  As 
most  men  do  in  the  presence  of  women  who  are  truly 
good. 

But  once  in  all  that  holy  ceremonial  I  notice  that  a 
thought  of  the  passions  of  the  awful  struggle  of  the 
outside  world  come  to  her  and  I  observe  her  very 
closely.  Though  I  pray  with  my  devotee,  I  can't  keep 
my  eyes  off  her  earthly  loveliness.  I  note  the  graceful 
head  crowned  with  its  clustering  curls,  the  superb  con- 
tours of  her  gracefully  developed  figure  ;  every  move- 
ment, as  she  kneels,  displaying  new  beauty  lines. 

A*  I  do  this,  my  glance  catches  a  little  foot,  high- 


I7O  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

instepped  and  perfect  in  outline  and  proportion,  that 
has  stolen  out  in  its  tight-fitting  boot  from  beneath  the 
crinolined  skirt.  For  the  life  of  me  I  can't  keep  my 
eyes  off  its  beauties.  The  rector  is  praying  for  the 
success  of  the  Union  arms.  Suddenly  the  little  foot, 
that  has  been  quiescent,  for  one  moment  taps  nervously 
upon  the  church  floor — then  with  a  sudden  shiver  grows 
quiet  again  ;  but  Eva's  body  has  drawn  itself  up  from 
very  force  of  emotion.  I  can  see  each  beauty  curve, 
extend  itself,  and  her  clasped  hands  clench  themselves, 
— the  girl  is  praying  with  all  her  heart  and  all  her  soul 
to  the  God  of  Battles.  Do  her  petitions  ascend  to 
heaven  in  unison  with  her  pastor's — or  is  she  imploring 
heaven  for  victory  of  the  Boys  in  Gray  over  the  Boys 
in  Blue,  as  many  another  Southern  maiden  prays  this 
November  Sunday? 

She  rises,  and  there  is  a  new  look  in  the  beautiful 
face.  The  corners  of  the  eyes  have  become  drawn—- 
the curves  of  the  chiselled  mouth  are  rigid — an  un- 
earthly self-devotion  is  in  those  delicate  features. 

Where  have  I  seen  that  inspired  radiance  before? 
A  shiver  runs  through  me  as  I  remember  it  was  in  an 
old  picture  of  the  Maid  of  Orleans. 

That  day,  as  we  come  out  in  the  whispering  crowd 
from  the  portals  of  the  House  of  the  God  of  Peace  and 
Love  into  the  presence  of  cruel  war  and  the  emblems  of 
mighty  contest — never  absent  in  those  dread  days  from 
the  nation's  capital,  for  orderlies  are  holding  officer's 
chargers  at  the  entrance  of  St.  John's  Church,  and 
ambulances  are  waiting  for  the  wives  and  daughters  of 
generals  in  the  field,  and  across  the  square  an  infantry 
regiment  is  tramping  to  the  front,  its  band  playing 
"John  Brown's  Body" — I  catch  a  little  nervous  flutter 
of  the  graceful  hands  that  hold  the  prayer-book. 

Gazing  on  the  beauty  at  my  side,  I  meditate  :  "My 
Heaven  I  Is  Eva  Ashley  a  'Joan  of  Arc?'  My  mind 
suddenly  opens.  I  see  that  here  is  a  girl  who  has  the 
soul  to  do  great  things. 

A  platoon  of  cavalry  comes  galloping  up  as  we 
descend  the  steps.  They  halt,  the  lieutenant  springs 
off  his  horse  and  advances  toward  us. 

My  fears  for  her  make  me  a  coward.  I  think  it  is  a 
Provost  guard.  The  little  hand  on  my  arm  seems  to 
clench  itself,  but  the  face  is  calm  as  a  martyr's. 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  17 1 

Dashing  Molly  Bent  comes  laughing  down  the  steps 
behind  us.  She  speaks  to  Eva.  I  give  a  start.  My 
Maid  of  Orleans  is  discussing  with  her  friend  the  latest 
fashions. 

The  Lieutenant  has  just  saluted  a  Major-General, 
The  cavalry  is  only  the  escort  of  some  corps  or  division 
commander,  to  guard  him  on  his  ride  to  histroops  in 
Virginia. 

For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  feel  I  have  nerves. 
But  I  must  know — for  her  safety  I  must  know. 

After  a  few  salutations  to  some  legation  chaps  and 
one  or  two  young  officers  who  will  have  word  with 
her,  Miss  Ashley,  getting  out  of  the  throng,  walks 
blithely  by  my  side.  We  are  near  Senator  Bream's 
front  door,  the  girl  remarks  casually  :  "  Not  so  many 
gentlemen  at  church  as  ladies  ? " 

"  No,"  I  reply.  "Were  it  not  for  you  women  the 
minister  might  shut  up  shop." 

"That  indicates  you  would  not  have  come,  had  I 
not  invited  you,  Billy." 

"Certainly  not  1  This  is  the  first  time  I  have  been 
to  church  for  a  year.  Have  you  made  many  other 
other  proselytes  ? " 

"A  few,"  she  half  laughs.  "Mr.  Finnaker  and  Mr. 
Arago  come  sometimes  at  my  solicitation." 

"Ah,  yes  ;  but  the  Quartermaster-General's  Office  is 
too  busy  to-day." 

"Indeed?" 

' '  Yes  !  "  I  see  my  chance  and  play  my  card  des- 
perately. "You  know  they  got  off  that  great  pon- 
toon train  last  night  and  this  morning." 

As  my  lie  strikes  the  girl  ;  for  one  instant,  a  shivery 
shudder  runs  through  her  limbs  ;  her  face  grows  pale 
and  drawn,  she  passes  her  hand  over  her  eyes  as  if  the 
sun  blinded  them.  Then  drawing  herself  up  as  if  to 
bear  a  blow,  Eve,  for  one  second,  looks  me  straight  in 
the  face.  What  she  sees  there,  I  don't  know — but  her 
lips  and  cheeks  regain  their  color,  her  eyes  grow  sunny, 
she  innocently  asks:  "What  pontoons?"  then  not 
waiting  for  my  answer,  laughs:  "You  military  men 
always  think  women  are  interested  in  your  tactics. 
Are  they  going  to  build  a  bridge  over  in  Virginia  ?  " 

Great  powers  !  Am  I  so  poor  a  liar  ? — or  is  her 
glance  into  my  heart  deeper  than  I  have  guessed  ? — or 


I7«  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

is  her  information  so  sure  on  the  subject,  that  she  knows 
I  haven't  told  the  truth  ? 

I  don't  have  much  time  to  speculate  on  this,  we  are 
already  at  Mrs.  Bream's  door. 

"Can  I  take  you  out  walking  this  afternoon,"  I  ven- 
ture. 

For  a  moment  the  young  lady  looks  as  if  she  would 
accept,  then  says,  slightly  embarrassed  :  "I — I  would, 
but  unfortunately  I — I  have  a  prior  engagement." 

"With  Mr.  Arago?"  I  ask,  both  fear  and  jealousy 
flying  up  in  me. 

"  Y-e-s — I'm  sorry."  Then  she  gives  me  a  crumb  of 
consolation.  "  You  are  going  to  Mrs.  Judge  Burton's 
dance  on  Tuesday,  I  presume  ?  "  she  asks,  smiling  at 
me. 

'  No — I  have  not  heard  of  it ! " 
'  If  I  get  you  an  invitation,  will  you  take  me?" 
'  With  pleasure.     Does  Mrs.  Bream  go  ?  " 
'  Perhaps  yes — will  you  take  me  anyway?" 
Won't  I  ! " 

Thank  you."  She  extends  her  hand  to  bid  me 
good-bye,  but  I  seize  it  and  hold  it,  and  whisper  words 
to  her  that  I  can't  control  as  I  look  into  the  dear  face. 
"  For  God's  sake,  take  good  care  of  yourself. " 

' '  What  do  you  mean  /> "  Her  cheeks  are  pale  and 
eyes  inquiring. 

"What  don't  I  mean  I" 

"  And  why?  "  A  spasm  of  agony  runs  over  her  deli- 
cate features.  Perhaps  I  am  squeezing  her  little  fingers 
too  hard. 

"Because  you're  so  dear  to  me — darling — !  For- 
give me — I  can't  help  it — I  wouldn't  if  I  could — I  couldn't 
if  I  would." 

"Oh  mercy,  what  an  ambiguous  creature  you  are, 
Billy  !  "  laughs  my  enchantress  mockingly,  pulling  her 
hand  away.  "Goodness  gracious,  every  one  is  look- 
at  you  ;  the  street  is  crowded.  Tuesday  evening,  nine 
o'clock:  I  will  get  Mrs.  Burton's  invitation  card  for 
you.  Good-bye. " 

Then  she  frightens  me. 

I  have  made  two  steps  down  the  vestibule  stairs.  A 
hand  is  suddenly  laid  upon  my  arm,  light  as  a  feather. 
A  soft  voice  whispers  in  my  ear  very  sadly,  very  ten- 
derly :  "You  wouldn't  care  too  much  if  anything 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  173 

happened?  You  would  forgive  me — wouldn't  you, 
Billy  ? " 

I  turn  and  catch  the  eyes,  laden  with  unshed  tears. 
Joy  and  rapture — in  them  is  love  !  Despair  and  misery 
— in  them  is  agony!  But  she  flies  from  me  ;  the  door 
closes  on  the  figure  of  my  divinity. 

I  stagger  down  the  steps  and  mutter:  "God  help 
me — I'm  half  sure  now  1  What  shall  i  do  to  save 
her?' 


BOOK  IV. 

THE  BATTLE  FOR  HER  LIFE. 
CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  TOUCH  OF  THE  MOUCHARD. 

I  KNOW  I  won't  get  the  facts  out  of  her.  God  bless 
her  dear  heart,  she  wouldn't  tell  me  ;  that  would  im- 
plicate me. 

My  one  chance  is  Arago,  and  from  what  I  have  dis- 
covered of  this  gentleman's  coolness,  it  would  take  the 
torture  to  open  his  lips.  Still  I  will  further  investigate 
him. 

All  the  afternoon  I  do  this,  though  not  effectively, 
for  I  dare  not  ask  directly  ;  everything  must  be  insinu- 
tion,  suggestion.  I  can  only  discover  the  Quartermas- 
ter-General's clerk  has  lots  of  money,  which  he  says 
comes  to  him  in  gold  drafts  sent  from  England.  This 
is  perfectly  in  accord  with  his  connection  with  the  cot- 
ton syndicate  ;  the  market  for  that  commodity  is  Eng- 
land ;  there  they  are  paying  enormous  prices  for  the 
white  fleece  to  keep  their  Manchester  operatives  from 
starving.  Naturally  Arago's  profits  would  come  from 
England.  In  addition  I  learn  his  luck  at  faro  has  lately 
been  very  bad. 

Suddenly — it  is  astonishing  what  slight  things  a 
man  grasps  at  when  he  is  falling  into  an  abyss — I 
am  smoking  gloomily — suddenly  into  my  throbbing 
head  flies  a  name,  "Quashie?"  Something  connects 
"Quashie"  with  the  girl  I  love. 

"Quashie"  gave  me  the  light  for  the  first  of  these 
Bouquets  Esplciales  I  am  smoking.  Quashie,  whose 
face  had  been  half  kicked  off  by  a  government  mule  ; 
Quashie  who — I  havt?  it !  Quashie — that's  the  name  of 
the  darky  servant  who  rode  by  Miss  Ashley's  side  that 
night  on  the  Potomac.  It's  a  common  enough  cog- 

174 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  175 

nomen  among  plantation  darkies  ;  still,  I'll  investigate 
Quashie. 

Though  it  is  evening,  I  tramp  over  to  Bermudas's 
cigar-store  and  buy  another  box  of  the  famed  weeds. 
Casually  inquiring,  I  find  that  Quashie  finished  up  his 
boot-blacking  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  can  discover 
nothing  more  about  him. 

Returning  gloomily  to  my  room,  but  slight  comfort 
is  brought  to  me  by  Mr.  Finnaker.  That  little  hero 
comes  bustling  in,  closes  my  door  mysteriously,  locks 
it,  sits  down  by  my  side  and  says  :  "  I've  stopped  here 
to  smoke  a  cigar  and  talk  things  over  with  you."  He 
lights  up  one  of  my  Bouquets  Espiciales.  "  You  know, 
you're  the  only  one  we  dare  consult.  We  haven't  got 
any  further  in  that  altered  special  order  No.  1410  busi- 
ness." 

"Oh,  the  pontoons?"  I  remark,  affecting  a  noncha- 
lance I  do  not  feel.  "What  are  you  doing  about 
it?" 

"Well,"  he  says,  "  we're  shoving  the  work  on  'em 
day  and  night.  We'll  have  the  trains  ready  to  start  by 
Thursday,  the  aoth  ;  we  may  get  'em  to  Burnside  in 
time,  and — we're  keeping  the  matter  very  dark.  You 
see,  we're  afraid  of  the  infernal  newspapers.  If  the 
New  York  Herald  knew  of  it,  wouldn't  Stanton  tear  his 
beard — oh,  my  !  "  The  little  patriot  gives  a  grimace  of 
disgust. 

"  Have  you  found  the  traitor  who  forged  the  false 
requisition  ? "  I  ask,  with  apparent  unconcern,  though 
my  teeth  meet  in  the  end  of  my  cigar. 

"No,  we  have  put  that  into  Baker's  hands;  the 
Secret  Service  is  nosing  that  out,"  he  whispered.  "Let 
Baker  alone ;  he'll  smash  the  infernal  rebel  spy  like  a 
mosquito." 

"Yes,  Baker  is  very  acute,"  I  mutter,  with  a  shiver, 
as  Finnaker,  having  finished  my  cigar,  leaves  me. 

"Too  infernally  acute!"  I  think,  an  hour  after- 
wards, as  I  still  smoke  and  ponder. 

"No.  1410 — special  requisition — altered  or  forged 
while  passing  from  the  Quartermaster-General's  office 
to  the  Depot-Quartermaster — the  envelope  in  charge  of 
a  trusty  and  true  cavalry  sergeant — and  delivered  over 
five  long  city  blocks  in  six  minutes !  By  heaven, 
Lommox  couldn't  have  got  drunk  and  sober  again  in 


176  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

that  time  !  It  was  no  art  of  liquor  that  did  this.  Pishl 
no  delicate  girl  could  have  executed  such  superb  strat- 
egy. Arago  must  be  the  guilty  one  !  "  I  laugh  to  my- 
self half  hysterically.  "Still,  why  her  anguish,  her 
anxiety  ? " 

I  cannot  sleep  ;  it  is  no  use  to  go  to  bed.  I  step  out 
and  pace  the  streets,  and  my  steps  will  lead  me  towards 
one  house  in  Washington.  As  I  stride  past  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  street,  there  are  lights  in  the  parlors 
of  Senator  Bream's  mansion.  It  is  too  late  to  call, 
otherwise  I  would  go  in.  Round  Lafayette  Square  I 
go  half  a  dozen  times. 

On  my  sixth  circuit,  on  Fifteenth  Street,  somewhere 
between  H  and  G,  I  think  it  is,  I  encounter  Arago. 
He  is  apparently  on  his  way  from  Eva  Ashley ;  he  has 
doubtless  heard  her  voice  within  the  minute.  Jeal- 
ousy, hatred  and  distrust  flame  up  in  me. 

"Taking  a  walk,  Captain?"  he  says,  after  a  few 
words  of  polite  greeting. 

"Yes,"  I  reply. 

"Where  are  you  going,  this  fine  night?" 

"Anywhere." 

"  Oh,  very  well,  come  with  me,  and  we'll  have  sup- 
per at  Chamberlin's  and  a  dash  of  faro." 

"  I'm  your  man  !  "  I  answer. 

Perhaps  in  his  company  some  of  my  vague,  yet  tor- 
turing, suspicions  will  take  more  definite  form.  Any- 
way, in  the  excitement  of  play,  I  may  forget — for  a 
minute. 

We  stroll  towards  Chamberlin's  together.  "Are 
you  going  to  Mrs.  Judge  Burton's  hop  on  Tuesday 
evening? "  I  ask  for  want  of  other  topics. 

"  I  think  so,"  he  remarks  nonchalantly.     "  And  you  ?  " 

"Oh,  certainly.  I  have  the  pleasure  of  escorting 
Miss  Eva  Ashley." 

This  touches  him  1  He  has  not  heard  this  before,  I 
can  see  by  the  angry  expression  of  his  face.  He  is 
about  to  burst  out — perhaps  I  shall  get  a  better  hint 
from  his  rage  than  his  suavity — but  he  suddenly  checks 
himself,  and  murmurs,  in  rather  sarcastic  tones  :  "Then 
I  congratulate  you  upon  the  prospect  of  a  very  pleas- 
ant evening." 

' '  Will  you  try  a  cigar  ?  "  I  say,  in  equally  polite 
voice. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  177 

**  No !  Diable,  jyes  !  That  is  what  I  have  been  want- 
ing. Thank  you.  I  see  you  are  smoking  my  brand." 

"Yes;  I  took  your  hint."  Then  some  despairing 
inspiration  flying  into  me,  I  continue:  "I  went  to 
Bermudas's  and  selected  my  cigars  yesterday.  By-the- 
bye,  they've  got  a  darky  boot-black  over  there  who,  I 
should  think,  was  a  terrible  fighter." 

"Indeed?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Quashie  has  got  the  most  fearful  eye  I 
ever  saw  on  any  nigger.  Curious  name  too  :  I  don't 
suppose  I  should  remember  it,  if  I  hadn't  met  a  darky 
of  the  same  cognomen,  one  September  night  on  the 
Potomac  under  rather  peculiar  circumstances." 

Have  I  struck  a  rift  in  his  armor?  The  Creole's 
hands  tremble  as  he  lights  his  cigar.  But  he  steadies 
himself,  and  remarks  nonchalantly:  "Yes,  Quashie 
is  rather  a  common  name  among  our  contrabands,  I 
believe." 

We  are  at  the  door  of  the  great  gambling-house. 
"  On  second  thoughts  I  don't  think  I'll  go  in,"  I  say. 

"Ah,  changed  your  mind  about  playing?" 

"Yes,  I  feel  a  little  done  up  to-day." 

"Very  well;  good-bye.  I  wish  you  a  pleasant 
evening  at  Mrs.  Judge  Burton's."  There  is  a  nasty 
and  sarcastic  sneer  on  his  face  as  he  says  this  and 
steps  into  the  brilliantly  lighted  rooms.  I  turn  away, 
walk  home  and  think  of  "Quashie  " — and  her  danger. 

I  go  to  bed  and  try  to  sleep,  to  keep  my  mind  calm 
for  the  morrow.  But  when  I  sleep,  I  dream  horrible 
things. 

Early  the  next  morning,  rising  unrefreshed,  I  bolt  a 
hasty  meal  and  walk  over  to  Bermudas's  cigar-store, 
thinking  to  find  the  darky,  but  Quashie  is  no  more 
blacking  boots,  in  fact  his  stand  is  gone.  I  am  told 
Quashie  has  got  tired  of  his  job  and  gone  off  and  joined 
an  army  sutler.  To  hunt  for  him,  among  the  hundred 
thousand  contrabands  that  loaf  about  the  forts  and 
camps  and  thoroughfares  of  the  capital  is  a  practical 
impossibility. 

Early  in  the  day  I  receive  Mrs.  Judge  Burton's  card 
of  invitation.  I  think  I  will  go  up  and  thank  Eva  for 
it.  That's  the  idea !  Perhaps  in  her  extremity  she  may 
confide  in  me. 

To  my  concern  Miss  Ashley  is  not  in,  though  I  find 


178  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

Mrs.  Bream  looking  fresh  and  pretty,  notwithstanding 
there  is  an  air  of  latent  anxiety  about  her. 

"Eva's  gone  to  visit  Mrs.  Rignold,"  she  remarks. 

"Ah!     Far  from  here  ?" 

"Yes,  quite  a  distance,  over  towards  the  capitol, 
Massachusetts  Avenue,  near  E  Street." 

"  Don't  you  think  I  might  stroll  over  and  bring  Miss 
Eve  home  ?  " 

"Yes,  if  she'll  let  you?"  smiles  Lucy;  then  sud- 
denly she  breaks  out  on  me:  "What  is  the  matter 
with  the  girl  ?  Do  you  know  ?  " 

"No,"  I  reply,  summoning  the  arts  of  a  diplomat 
" Nothing  serious,  I  hope.     She — she  isn't  sick?" 
'  No,  but  there's  some  gimcrack  on  her  mind." 
'Since  when?  " 
'Since  last  evening." 
'  What  makes  you  think  so  ?  " 

'She  walked  the  floor  of  her  chamber  half  the  night. 
You've  had  nothing  to  do  with  it  ?  You  have  not  been 
playing  fast  and  loose  with  her  again  ?  " 

"On  the  contrary,  she's  been  playing  fast  and  loose 
with  me,"  I  say  bitterly. 

' '  Yes,  you  don't  look  over  chipper  yourself? "  re- 
marks the  matron  contemplatively.  Then  she  makes 
my  heart  jump  by  saying  :  "These  lover's  quarrels  !  " 

"  O  God,  if  that  were  all !  "  I  think. 

"Very  well,  run  off  and  find  her!"  laughs  Lucy. 
"I  see  you're  anxious  to  bring  her  home. 

With  this  I  walk  off;  but  at  Mrs.  Rignold's  on  Mas- 
sachusetts Avenue,  discover  to  my  concern  that  Miss 
Ashley  is  not  there  and  furthermore  has  not  been  there. 
At  least,  so  the  servant  states  at  the  door.  My  peace 
of  mind  is  not  added  to  by  learning  my  sweetheart  has 
some  appointment  she  does  not  wish  her  aunt  to  know 
of — something  she  will  even  deceive  her  about. 

I  go  back  to  Senator  Bream's ;  Lucy  has  gone  out ; 
the  young  lady  has  not  returned. 

I  call  later  in  the  evening.  The  Senator,  his  wife 
and  niece,  are  away  at  dinner.  I  wander  about  aim* 
lessly,  but  can  do  nothing. 

The  strain  is  commencing  to  tell  upon  me.  Finna 
ker  remarks  it,  as  he  strolls  into  my  rooms  late  in  the 
evening,  when  I  am  pacing  the  floor. 

"You  look  seedy,   my  cavalryman,"  he   observer 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  179 

"What  you  and  I  need  is  to  be  at  the  front.  This  ab- 
sence from  whizzing  Minie  balls  and  bursting  shells  is 
killing  both  of  us  ; "  then  he  suddenly  breaks  out :  "  By 
Bunker  Hill,  are  you  in  love  ?  I  hear  from  Arago 
you  took  Miss  Ashley  to  church  yesterday.  Very 
fetchy  girl — very  patriotic — very  susceptible  to  the 
Quartermaster-General's  office.  If  you  don't  believe 
me  ask  Arago." 

"That's  the  first  witness  you  have  cited  who  hasn't 
been  dead,"  I  mutter  savagely. 

"  Well,  Arago  may  be  soon — if  work  can  do  it;  we're 
being  ragged  to  death.  That  damned  order  I  " 

"Anything  more  about  its  miscarriage?" 

"Nothing!  Only  we  keep  it  close,  sir:  close  as  a 
percussion  on  the  nipple  of  an  En  field.  We've  even 
released  Lommox." 

"  Has  the  sergeant  said  anything  further?" 

"  Not  a  word,  I  understand  ;  simply  sticks  to  his 
story — received  the  order  at  6:45  and  delivered  it  6:51 
p.  M.  as  per  receipts.  Sometimes  I  think  the  Depot- 
quartermaster  must  be  the  disloyal  villain.  There's  a 
traitor  somewhere,  but  Baker'll  have  him — Baker'll 
have  him  !  "  With  this  he  goes  away,  leaving  me  more 
miserable  than  ever.  Jealousy  is  in  my  mind,  as  well 
as  love  and  anxiety. 

The  next  morning  I  discover  that  Baker  is  engaged 
in  the  matter. 

A  note  is  brought  to  me,  directing  my  immediate 
presence  at  the  Secret  Service  office.  I  go  there; 
fortunately,  my  nerves  are  already  braced  for  any 
blow. 

I  get  one ! 

"  I  haven't  got  much  time  to  give  you,  Captain 
Hamilton,"  says  the  head  of  Uncle  Sam's  spies.  "  But 
I  thought  I'd  ask  you  if  you  had  seen  anywhere  in 
Washington  the  young  woman  for  whom  I  told  you 
to  keep  your  eye  peeled." 

"  No,"  I  reply  ;  "  I  don't  think  she  is  here.  At  all 
events,  not  in  fashionable  society." 

"  All  right ;  but  there's  been  hell  raised  here  lately." 

"How?" 

"  That's  my  business.  However,  I  think  if  the 
girl's  here  we'll  surely  find  her ;  though  I  reckon  she 
didn't  have  anything  to  do  with  this  ;  this  i&  a  little  too 


l8o  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

gigantic  for  a  woman.  But  still  we  want  to  see  that 
girl ;  if  she  should  be  mixed  up  in  this  accursed  trea« 
son,  there's  ten  thousand  dollars  for  all  of  us.  So  we'va 
another  society  buck  looking  up  things  also.  By-the- 
bye,  it  might  be  as  well  to  consult  with  him  ;  he's 
already  landed  sub  rosa  one  or  two  lady  Rebels  in 
the  Old  Capitol  prison.  H<J  may  give  you  a  point" 

"Of  course,"  I  mutter.  "We — we  might  hunt  in 
couples." 

"  Quite  right !     I  think  you  know  him  already." 

Then  the  words  that  come  to  me  from  the  chief  of 
the  Secret  Service  make  my  head  buzz.  "  He  is  Henri 
Dubois  Arago,  one  of  the  head-clerks  in  the  Quarter- 
master General's  office,"  says  the  detective.  "By  your 
face  I  see  you  know  him." 

"  Don't  II"!  contrive  to  stammer.  "  He — he  plays 
a  devil  of  a  game  of  poker." 

"  Yes  ;  too  much  for  you,  I  can  see  by  your  phiz, 
Captain  Hamilton." 

"  All  right ;  I'll — I'll  meet  him  at  Mrs.  Judge  Burton's 
dance  to-night,  if  not  earlier." 

"  Very  well ;  only  look  alive." 

Then  I  walk  out.  The  sun  was  shining  as  I  stepped 
in — it  seems  dark  as  an  eclipse  now. 

Ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  life  of  my  love  I  Arago 
an  agent  of  the  Secret  Service !  He  has  already  de- 
livered up  to  Uncle  Sam's  Justice  some  fair  culprits ! 
Good  God,  why  is  he  sparing  her?  Anyway,  he  has 
me  in  his  grip.  He  knows  I  have  seen  the  girl  for 
whom  they  are  looking  and  recognized  her;  he  knows 
that  I  have  not  reported  my  discovery  to  the  Secret 
Service  Bureau — furthermore,  I  have  denied  having  seen 
her.  But  what  do  I  care  for  myself  V  It  is  she  for 
whom  I  tremble. 

Still,  in  my  confused  mind  struggles  one  ray  of  hope. 
Evidently  the  War  Department  wishes  to  keep  this 
awful  mistake,  or  accident,  or  blunder  about  the  pon- 
toons as  quiet  as  possible  for  the  present :  that  may 
be  one  element  of  her  safety. 

I  look  around  the  great  city.  I  think  of  its  en- 
circling forts,  its  vast  garrison,  each  bridge  patrolled, 
every  avenue  of  escape  guarded  with  military  discipline 
and  martial  rigidity,  and  mutter  to  myself:  "Oh 
God,  I  am  helpless  1 " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  l8l 

My  almost  aimless  steps  have  taken  me  back  to  my 
boarding-house.  Here  another  pang,  another  surprise 
of  that  awful  day,  comes  to  me.  A  letter  in  an  un- 
known lady's  hand  is  delivered. 

I  open  it,  and  turn  at  once  to  the  signature ;  it  is 
from  Miss  Ashley :  then  I  read,  in  rather  trembling 
characters : 

*  My  DEAR  BILLY  : 

"  Pray  heaven  you  don't  misjudge  me !  When  I  asked  you  to  take 
me  to  Mrs.  Burton's  dance  this  evening,  I  had  forgetton  that  I  had 
made  a  previous  engagement  for  the  escort  of  Mr.  Arago.  He 
insists  that  I  fulfil  it;  therefore  I  beg  you  don't  come  to  my  house 
for  me. 

"  Still,  for  the  love  of  heaven,  don't  let  any  pique,  indignation  or 
just  anger  at  my  inexcusable  forgetfulness  keep  you  from  being  at 
Mrs.  Burton's  to-night.  Come,  if  you  only  come  to  quarrel  with  me 
—but  cornel  It  is  vital  to  both  of  us,  if  you  meant  your  few  wild 
words  when  you  last  clasped  my  hand  I  Come  if  you  mean  them  I 

"  Yours, 

"EVA. 

"  Don't  try  to  see  me  this  afternoon  ;  but  come  to-night  I"1* 

First,  rage  fills  me.  What  hold  has  this  cursed 
Creole  that  he  should  compel  the  girl  I  love  to  cancel 
her  own  request  to  me.  By  the  Lord,  is  he  threaten- 
ing her?  Why  does  she  beg  me  not  to  come  to  her 
this  afternoon  ?  I  clench  my  fist  in  jealous  rage,  as  I 
reflect  these  are  Arago's  off-duty  hours. 

Then  suddenly  comes — over  all  my  doubt  and  mis- 
ery— one  great  joy.  If  the  last  part  of  Eva  Ashley's 
letter  means  anything,  it  means  she  loves  me.  Can  I 
be  faithless  to  her  in  her  extremity  ?  Shall  I  prove  to 
her  that  I  am  dastard,  that  I  was  liar,  when  I  whispered 
in  her  ear  last  Sunday  morning? 

The  climax  is  approaching.  To  save  her  I  must  be 
ready  to  act  like  lightning.  What  are  the  sinews  of 
war — of  love?  Money!  I  overhaul  my  funds  avail- 
able :  then  go  down  to  my  bankers,  and  by  pledg- 
ing certain  securities,  have  placed  to  my  credit  cash 
sufficient  for  almost  any  emergency. 

This  done,  feeling  I  must  regard  my  sweetheart's 
request  and,  fighting  with  myself,  I  keep  away  from 
Mrs.  Bream's  big  house  on  Lafayette  Square  but  write 
Eve,  asking  her  to  give  me  her  confidence,  her  love, 
—•to  renew  the  engagement  of  our  youth — telling  her 


l82  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

I  adore  her — telling  her  I  know  she  is  in  trouble- 
begging  her  to  let  me  bear  it  for  her. 

This  despatched,  I  go  down  to  Willard's  and  try  and 
kill  time  knocking  the  billiard  balls  about ;  but  time 
won't  be  killed,  and  goes  very  slowly.  I  stride  to  my 
F  Street  boarding-house.  Here  I  pack  a  valise.  In  a 
campaign  always  be  ready  for  quick  movement 

This  done,  Finnaker  comes  bustling  in  from  hia 
clerical  duties. 

' '  By-the-bye,  here's  a  note  for  you,  I  got  in  the  hall," 
he  says. 

I  tear  it  open.  It  is  only  a  line  from  Durant,  the 
colonel  of  my  regiment,  to  say  he  has  come  in  on 
some  regimental  business  and  asking  me  to  call  on 
him  at  Willard's.  "Anything  new?"  I  ask,  as  I  hand 
him  a  cigar.  Finnaker  always  tells  me  more  when  he 
is  smoking. 

"Nothing  ;  only  we've  released  Lommox  from  arrest, 
though  we  haven't  put  him  on  duty.  We're  keeping 
this  thing  bottled  up,  sir — bottled  up  like  champagne  f  * 
Wait  till  the  cork  pops — then  I  pity  the  traitor." 

"  Have  a  bottle  with  me — this  evening." 

44  Won't  I — Munn's  Extra-Dry  !  " 

With  him  I  go  down  to  Mrs.  Lorimer's  tea,  and  eat 
nothing,  but  drink  something  to  strengthen  me  for  my 
fate.  Finally,  I  make  my  toilet  and  walk  to  Mrs.  Bur- 
ton's dance  about  ten  o'clock  this  evening.  Fortu- 
nately, Finnaker  is  busy  with  War  Department  duties, 
and  I  am  relieved  from  that  little  hero's  chatter  on  the 
way. 

In  Mrs.  Burton's  parlors  I  find  my  advent  has  been 
deftly  heralded.  My  hostess  greeting  me,  says  :  "I'm 
sorry  that  you  were  prevented  from  coming  with  Mrs. 

*  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  War  Department  have  never  ex- 
plained that,  though  Burnside  sent  his  order  for  pontoons  on  the 
9th  of  November  originally  and  both  Halleck  and  Meigs  telegraphed 
about  them  on  the  nth  and  I2th  of  November,  still  the  Depot 
Quartermaster  at  Washington  never  heard  of  the  pontoon  order 
until  the  I4th  of  November.  Vide  Burnside's  testimony,  Appendix 

No  elucidation  of  this  matter  was  attempted  even  after  Fredericks- 
burg  was  fought  and  lost,  though  the  press  of  the  country  were 
denouncing  Stanton  and  Lincoln  for  the  disaster :  See  Appendix ; 
Editorials,  New  York  Herald,  etc.,  and  Harper's  Weekly  Cartoon, 
January  3d,  1863 — Columbia  demanding  her  15000  sons  murdered  at 
Fredencksburg  from  Lincoln,  Stanton,  and  Halleck. — Ed. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  1 83 

Senator  Bream  and  her  party ;  but  better  late  than 
never,  Captain  Hamilton." 

Therefore  I  know  Miss  Ashley  must  be  here. 

At  first  opportunity  I  look  about  for  her.  She  is  not 
in  the  parlor  where  Mrs.  Burton  is  receiving ;  but  I  see 
Lucy  Bream,  looking  very  pretty  and  placid,  a  few 
chairs  away. 

As  I  greet  her  she  says:  "You  missed  Eva  at 
Mrs.  Rignold's  the  other  afternoon  ;  she  returned  al- 
most immediately  after  you  had  left." 

"  How  is  she?  ''  I  ask  uneasily.  "Any  more  gim- 
cracks  on  the  mind  and  all-night  seances  with  her- 
self?" 

"  Oh,  no  ;  entirely  normal  once  more.     Look  !  " 

I  follow  her  glance,  through  the  folding  doors.  And 
what  a  picture  1 

Amid  the  crowd  of  circling  dancers,  brave  men,  and 
lovely  girls  in  robes  de  bal,  each  one  meant  to  be  se- 
ductive to  masculine  eyes  ;  their  white  arms  flashing 
and  shining  shoulders  gleaming,  I  see  but  one  1 

A  goddess  of  beauty,  in  a  toilette  made  to  pull  the 
heart  out  of  a  man,  is  floating  with  fairy  steps  to  the 
soft  "  Dream  of  the  Ocean  "  waltz. 

Floating  ;  that's  what  she  is  doing  !  for  all  this  night 
the  loveliness  of  Eva  Ashley  seems  to  me  more  of  the 
air  than  of  the  earth. 

From  the  white  camellia  stuck  in  her  waving  curls 
to  the  light  tulle  skirts,  flounces  and  furbelows  that 
wave  like  billows  over  her  swaying  crinoline,  beneath 
which  scintillate  and  gleam  superb  ankles  and  petite 
feet,  she  has  no  speck  of  color,  save  hot  burning 
blushes  vibrating  over  cheeks  that  grow  pale  as  lilies 
as  she  looks  on  me. 

Then  suddenly  into  her  eyes  fly  two  sparks  of  emo- 
tion. In  them  I  see  what  makes  me  happy — in  all  my 
anxiety — ay — even  though  the  arm  of  that  accursed 
Creole  tyrant  circles  that  lithe  .waist  and  presses  her  to 
him. 

I  know  he  is  her  tyrant  now  1  For  catching  her 
glance  at  me,  Arago  whispers  to  her.  Eve  turns  her  eyes 
from  me — the  beautiful  orbs  grow  dim  with  tears  behind 
them,  her  proud  head  droops.  I  can  see  her  white, 
sculptured  bosom  throb  tumultuously  with  the  short, 
rapid  beats  of  some  supreme  emotion.  In  my  soul  I 


184  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

know  it  is  fear,  not  love  that  causes  Eva  Vernon  Ash- 
ley to  accept  the  attentions  of  Henri  Dubois  Arago. 

What  immense  motive,  what  intense  strain  makes 
this  high-bred  Virginia  girl,  a  descendant  of  one  of 
Rupert's  cavaliers,  tremble  as  she  looks  into  the  face 
of  the  New  Orleans  drift-away  ?  Her  ancestors  were 
not  wont  to  have  their  hearts  beat  in  panic-terror 
as  they  faced  Frenchmen  at  Crecy,  Poitiers  or  Azin< 
court.  And  from  the  way  Stuart's  cavalry  are  fighting 
across  the  Potomac  now,  their  blood  doesn't  seem  to 
have  deteriorated. 

Is  it  the  terror  of  the  victim  for  the  mouchard? 
Shades  of  Vidocq  1  give  me  a  mouchard's  cunning  to 
defeat  him ! 

No  !  better  still,  give  me  American  pluck  to  save  my 
love  from  his  two-faced  clutch.  For  if  she  is  guilty  in 
this  thing — he  must  be  guilty  also. 

Made  strong  by  this  idea,  I  step  towards  Eve.  The 
dance  has  ended — she  is  escorted  by  another  cavalier 
now — for  in  all  this  evening  I  note  Arago  treats  Miss 
Ashley,  in  public,  with  the  punctilio  of  a  Creole  and 
the  etiquette  of  a  gentleman. 

The  girl,  though  she  is  on  the  arm  of  one  officer  is 
chatting  to  several  others.  Into  this  coterie  I  insinuate 
myself.  A  moment  later  I  am  bowing  before  her  and 
asking  for  a  dance.  She  extends  her  programme  ;  I  per- 
ceive Arago  has  confiscated  half  her  dances,  and  the 
cotillion  also. 

"  I  have  come  !  "  I  whisper.  "  You  know  what  that 
means.  You  received  my  note  ?" 

Her  eyes  answer  mine,  then  droop,  and  despite  a  strug •- 
gle,  for  I  can  see  Eva  is  fighting  to  keep  down  emotion, 
her  heart  throbs  wildly.  A  blush,  beginning  gradually 
with  pale  pink,  that  makes  her  face  like  chiselled  coral, 
grows  into  a  flaming,  ruby  glow. 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  take  only  one,"  she  falters  in 
my  ear.  "The  one  marked  with  a  big  cross — yes,  that 
one  just  before  supper — quick,  don't  linger,  he  is  watch- 
ing me.  Thank  you — God  bless  you." 

I  bow  and  move  away,  swearing  for  this  humiliation 
of  my  love  to  reckon,  at  proper  time,  with  him  who 
causes  it. 

Then  I  try  to  act  as  other  men  at  fetes  and  revels.  I 
dance,  I  flirt,  I  even  laugh. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  185 

The  dances  drift  away. 

Ours  comes  at  last ! 

As  she  puts  her  hand  upon  my  arm,  Eva  Ashley's 
words  startle  me.  ''Waltz  with  me,"  she  whispers. 
"Don't  talk  to  me.  He's  watching." 

This  I  do,  clutching  her  to  my  heart  in  a  desperate 
way,  for  I  know  the  crisis  of  our  fate  is  upon  us. 

"The  dance  is  ending.  I  have  not  had  one  word 
with  you,"  I  mutter. 

"Wait!" 

Then  I  see  with  what  subtle  feminine  art  Miss  Ash- 
ley has  arranged  her  manoeuvre.  By  very  force  of 
being  the  escort  of  their  party,  Mr.  Arago  is  compelled 
by  ballroom  etiquette  and  courtesy  to  take  Mrs.  Bream 
to  supper.  The  refreshment-room  is  in  the  basement 
of  the  house,  reached  by  a  somewhat  narrow  stairway. 
Though  he  looks  back  lingeringly,  longingly,  even  I 
think  threateningly  at  the  girl,  the  Creole  is  compelled 
to  offer  his  arm  and  escort  Mrs.  Bream  down,  among 
the  first  hungry  ones,  in  company  with  her  hostess 
and  several  passee  dowagers. 

A  moment  after  comes  the  rush  to  supper.  The 
stairs  are  blocked  with  a  crowd  of  eager  matrons,  hur- 
rying girls  and  their  escorts,  civil  and  military;  shoulder- 
straps  elbow  dress-coats,  and  gilded  spurs  play  havoc 
with  lace  flounces.  Henri  Arago  is  cut  off  from  us  by 
the  living  crush. 

The  supper-room  not  being  large  enough,  the  over- 
flow now  seat  themselves  on  the  stairway,  in  one  solid 
phalanx. 

Politeness  would  keep  any  gentleman  from  tramping 
over  silk  dresses,  delicate  feet,  extended  crinolines  and 
flounces,  if  the  other  cavaliers  would  permit  him. 

The  dancing-salons  are  empty  ;  though  the  musicians 
are  still  fiddling  the  march  to  supper. 

"  Come  !  "  directs  my  enchantress  hurriedly,  nerv- 
ously, bashfully. 

At  her  word  I  follow  her,  to  endure  the  most  as- 
tounding interview  perchance  woman  has  ever  given 
to  man. 

In  a  little  room  of  boudoir  effects,  cut  off  from  the 
main  salons  of  the  house,  the  girl  turns  desperately  to 
me  and  says  :  "I  received  your  letter,  Billy." 

There  is  a  directness  in  her  tones  that  makes  me 


l86  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

start.  Her  beautiful  face,  clear-cut  as  a  cameo,  is  very 
pale,  though  the  nostrils  are  dilated  and  the  eyes  of 
unnatural  brightness.  There  is  a  shrinking  modesty 
about  her  attitude  that  makes  me  pity  her  though 
they  add  to  her  ethereal  beauty. 

"Ah!  You  understood  what  I  wrote? — that  I  love 
you  ?  "  I  murmur. 

"Y-e-s!" 

"That  I  wish  you  to  revive  our  engagement? " 

Her  answer  disheartens  me. 

"Yes  ;  but  I  do  not  think  it  wise  to  renew  it  at  this 
time — under  these  circumstances." 

"You  don't  love  me ? " 

"  I  do  ! — with  my  heart — my  soul  !  "  This  is  sighed 
out  with  bashful  voice  and  averted  head. 

"Prove  it !  "  I  say  desperately. 

"I  will!  I  will  marry  you  to-morrow  morning— 
quietly,  secretly." 

"Why  not  openly?" 

"I— I  dare  not" 

"Anyway,  1 marry  jyou  ! "  There  is  unutterable  joy 
in  my  face.  I  am  taking  her  into  my  arms  to  seize  a 
lover's  recompense  from  the  lips  that  have  kept  me 
waiting  so  long. 

But  she,  retreating  a  step,  whispers:  "Not  yet; 
there  is  one  condition  !  " 

"With  any  condition,  I  marry  you!" 

"Then  don't  look  me  in  the  face.  Turn  your  head 
away, — Billy,  please  turn  your  head  away." 

Half  sulkily,  I  do  so.  I  hate  to  take  my  eyes  from 
off  the  loveliness  that  now  I  feel  is  mine. 

Is  it? 

To  my  ears,  that  can't  believe  them  as  I  listen,  dazed 
and  petrified,  come  these  words,  faltered  out  to  me  in 
lowest  whisper,  as  if  each  fibre  of  Eve's  maiden  heart 
rebelled  against  them, — as  if  each  word  was  an  agony 
of  virgin  modesty,  as  if  she  were  ashamed  the  air  should 
catch  them  :  "You — you  must  promise  me — dear  one, 
you  must  promise  me — on  your  word  of  honor  as  a 
gentleman — nay,  on  your  oath  as  a  man — not  to  con- 
sider me  your — your — absolute  wife  until  one  week  has 
passed  from  the  day  I  take  your  name  and  ring." 

"What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  turn  upon  her. 

She  has  faced  me  desperately.     Our  eyes  meet.     Shf 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  187 

gasps:  "You  know  what  I  mean!  For  God's  sake, 
don't  make  me  explain  again  !  "  and  turns  away.  Wave 
after  wave  of  blushes  flies  over  her  face,  each  deeper 
than  before.  That  lovely  neck,  those  shining  shoul- 
ders, that  gleaming  bosom,  grow  crimson. 

The  beautiful  head  droops. 

She  convulsively  hides  her  eyes  with  her  hands.  She 
is  sighing  ;  "  You — you  make  it  too  hard  for  me.  You 
do  not  love  me  !  " 

Flesh  and  blood  cannot  withstand  such  despairing 
loveliness.  "  By  the  oath  you  wish  me  to  take — by  my 
word  of  honor  as  a  gentleman,  and  a  man  and  an  officer, 
I  take  it!"  I  mutter,  "Good  God,  I  love  you  well 
enough  to  endure  even  this  torture,  this  degradation  ! 
But  for  only  one  week  !  "  I  have  got  her  in  my  arms 
now.  "Remember  that!  One  week,  then  my  wife, 
my  true  wife  ! ' 

"Your  true  wife,  Billy."  Our  lips  meet  in  one  long 
clinging  kiss.  Then  she  struggles  from  me  and  whis- 
pers rapidly  and  anxiously  :  "  Meet  me  at  the  fountain 
in  Franklin  Square  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 
I  cannot  get  away  before.  Have  everything  ready." 

"You  mean  the  minister  and  the  ring  and  the 
license  ?  " 

"Yes,  everything.     I  will  meet  you." 

"And  after  the  ceremony  that  has  made  you  mine 
in  law  and  honor,  I  suppose  you  will  give  me  the  cold 
shoulder  for  Monsieur  Arago — for  a  week,"  I  remark 
grimly. 

"I  am  compelled  to." 

"  Ah,  for  a  week  you  will  break  my  heart  with 
jealousy — you  will  give  me  no  wife's  respect  and  honor 
— because  I  am  dastard  enough  to  make  such  a*- 
ignoble  bargain." 

"No — no.  Every  wifely  respect  and  honor  to  c_ 
gentleman  who  has  aided  me  in  my  extremity." 

"Your  extremity  ?  What  extremity  ?  "  My  fears  for 
her  make  me  stern  to  her.  "Tell  me,  I  demand." 

"  To — to  save  my  life  !  " 

"Impossible  !     Explain  !  " 

"I  cannot  now.  There  is  no  time.  I  must  go  back 
to  my  jailer." 

"Your^Aa/V" 

Her  words  take  away  my  breath. 

"/— /  have  been  under  arrest  for  twenfy-four  hours.* 


j88  BILLY  HAMILTON. 

"Good  Lord!" 

' '  Yesterday  afternoon  Mr.  Arago  exhibited  his  secret 
service  United  States  Deputy  Marshal's  badge  and 
threatened  to  handcuff  me  and  take  me  to  the  Old 
Capitol  Prison  at  once,  if  I  didn't  consent  to  marry  him." 

My  muttered  curse  startles  her,  but  she  goes  on  : 
"  I  am  under  my  parole  now  not  to  leave  this  house 
without  his  escort  or  permission." 

"  But  your  uncle,  the  great  War  Senator  I  " 

"  He  daren't  help  me  even  if  he  would.  I'm  too 
deep  in  this  time." 

"  And  to-morrow  ?" 

"  I  will  break  my  parole  for  your  sake  to-morrow  I  " 

But  here  a  soft  suave  voice  comes  floating  in  to  us  : 
"Have  you  seen  Miss  Ashley  about,  Major  Hughes? 
Mrs.  Bream  is  anxious  for  her  to  join  us  at  supper.  The 
crowd  is  so  great  on  the  stairs  I  had  to  come  by  the 
front  door." 

With  finger  on  her  lips,  my  sweetheart,  my  love,  my 
traitor,  my  Rebel,  my  spy,  floats  out  from  me  to  the 
touch  of  the  mouchard ;  and  I,  half  believing  this  is  a 
dream,  want  to  go  after  her  and  take  his  Creole  throat 
within  my  hands  and  wring  the  life  out  of  his  dastard 
body. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   NUPTIALS   OF   DAMOCLES. 

Bur  brute  force  is  not  the  weapon  to  employ  against 
finesse.  I  cannot  interfere  now,  though  I  have  to  hold 
myself  in  my  chair  ;  as  I  catch  his  voice  speaking  com- 
mandingly  to  her.  It  may  be  but  a  suspicion  :  I  think 
I  hear  him  say  :  "Be  careful ;  your  fate  hangs  upon 
your  obedience  and  acquiescence  to  my  rule." 

It  dies  away  ;  and  sometime  after,  the  parlors  begin- 
ning to  fill  with  dancers,  I  stroll  out  of  the  little  room 
and  see  my  adoration  seated  with  Mrs.  Bream  and  look- 
ing very  sweetly  at  her  Creole  captor  as  he  stands  before 
the  ladies. 

I  am  compelled  to  act  as  other  men.  If  Eve  can 
finesse,  I  must  also. 

I  stroll  up  to  the  party  and  suggest :  "  Have  you 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  189 

had  supper  enough,  Miss  Ashley  ?  "  and  would  offer  her 
my  arm  to  take  her  downstairs. 

But  obeying  a  look  from  the  Creole,  who  stands  be- 
side her,  Eve  says  to  me  coldly  :  "  Thank  you,  Captain 
Hamilton  ;  Mr.  Arago  always  takes  such  good  care  of 
me  at  supper  that  I  never  need  a  second  bite." 

He  leads  her  off  to  the  dance  again,  and  Lucy  Bream 
looking  at  me,  sneers  sarcastically  :  "A  little  harder 
»vork  than  you  thought,  picking  up  the  old  love — eh, 
Billy  ? " 

"  Rather,"  I  reply,  and  meditate  upon  the  aunt's  deep 
Visight  into  human  character.  "Oh,  yes  ;  her  niece  is 
perfectly  normal  t> " 

But  /am  not  normal.  After  making  pretence  of  doing 
a  cavalier's  duty  a  little  while  longer  this  evening,  chat- 
ting with  Miss  Laura  Gushing  of  New  York,  pretend- 
ing to  flirt  with  dashing  Mollie  Bent,  I  get  away  from 
this  fete  scene  ;  its  laugh  is  bitter,  its  gayety  distracting 
to  me.  I  cannot  bear  to  see  my  promised  bride  bullied 
by  this  damned  Creole  ;  besides,  the  coming  bridegroom 
has  lots  to  do  by  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  o'clock. 

I  hurry  to  my  F  Street  boarding-house.  The  sleepy 
negro  servant-girl  who  opens  the  door  informs  me  ; 
"Dere  was  an  Irish  soldier  to  see  you  twice  dis  even- 
ing— late  at  night,  sah." 

"Did  he  leave  his  name  ? " 

"'Deed  he  did,  sah;  it  war  Lummox,"  replies  the 
wench.  "He  said  he'd  rouse  you  to-morrow  mornin'. " 

"  Oh,  Lommox,"  I  laugh.  Then  suddenly  I  want  to 
see  Lommox  ;  he  may  elucidate  this  matter  that  is  still 
an  enigma  to  me.  If  my  sweetheart  is  guilty  in  regard 
to  that  pontoon  order,  Arago  must  be  guilty  also. 

Slipping  a  dollar  into  the  girl's  hand,  I  say  :  "When 
the  Irish  sergeant  calls  again,  if  I'm  out,  show  him  to 
my  room  and  tell  him  to  wait  for  me.  It  is  important 
I  see  him  at  once." 

"Yes,  sah." 

"If  you  remember,  there's  five  dollars  more  for 
you." 

"  Den  I'se  suoo  I'll  neber  miss  'um,  sah  !  " 

With  this  I  go  to  my  room  to  think  the  matter  over. 
If  Eve  is  guilty  of  the  pontoons,  her  only  safety  is  be- 
hind the  Rebel  lines,  or  in  some  far-away  country  ;  fof 
I  know  well  enough,  in  every  state  of  America  where 


*9&  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

the  Star  Spangled  Banner  floats,  Uncle  Sam's  Secret 
Service  sooner  or  later  will  get  her,  and  I  don't  marry 
to  become  a  widower  at  once. 

But  this  brings  to  my  mind  the  infernal  oath  my  com- 
ing bride  has  exacted  from  me,  and  I  tramp  my  room 
with  rage  in  my  soul  and  bitterness  in  my  heart. 

I  wake  from  uneasy  slumbers  early  the  next  morning. 
It  is  seven  o'clock  by  my  watch  when  I  arise.  A 
license  is  necessary,  with  two  witnesses  as  to  my 
identity.  If  my  nuptials  are  to  be  kept  secret  I  can 
ask  no  intimate  friend.  "To  trust  Finnaker  is  to  pro- 
claim it  far  and  wide.  Though  I  can  depend  on  their 
silence,  I  dare  not  call  upon  rny  two  lieutenants  :  if 
this  thing  comes  to  an  awful  ending,  they  might  be 
ruined  as  well  as  I.  Some  out-of-the-way  Treasury 
clerk,  some  buried-alive  attache*  of  the  Public  Li- 
brary," I  think. 

So  about  half-past  eight  o'clock  I  tramp  down  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue,  racking  my  brains  for  proper  wit- 
nesses. In  front  of  a  beer-saloon  about  Seventh  Street, 
yclept  Konig  Wilhelm,  a  genial  German  voice  breaks 
in  upon  my  meditations.  With  a  start  I  wake  up,  and 
find  August  Lammersdorff,  the  sutler,  is  calling  to 
me. 

"  Wie  geht's,  Captain  Hamilton  ;  is  your  parole  lifted 
yet?  Come  in  und  drink  a  glass  of  beer  mid  me.  I'm 
shust  in  from  der  front,  und  I'm  shust  going  out 
again." 

Suddenly  it  flies  through  me  :  "  Lammersdorff — wit- 
ness number  one.  Best  in  the  world  ;  everybody  knows 
him.  He  can  get  me  another." 

"With  pleasure,"  I  answer.  In  the  saloon  I  join 
him  in  a  glass  of  beer,  and  over  it  tell  him  my 
wishes. " 

"Going  to  be  married,  eh?  Dat's  a  fine  way  of 
spending  your  parole  ;  dat  will  make  you  vant  to  be 
von  of  the  home-guards,"  he  laughs,  as  we  sip  our  lager. 
"  Von't  I  be  your  vitness  ?  Vill  I  get  you  anodder  vit- 
ness  ?  I  vill  get  you  half  a  dozen  vitnesses.  Here's 
mein  friend,  Herr  Schloss,  vat  is  sutler  mid  Birney's 
division  ;  he  vill  step  over  mid  me." 

So,  after  another  glass  of  beer,  in  which  Lammers- 
dorff winking  at  me  says:  "To  the  health  of  da 
fust  baby, "  we  go  down  together.  The  proper  declara* 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  191 

tions  being  made,  I  receive  the  necessary  license  to 
make  Miss  Evelyn  Vernon  Ashley  my  wife. 

Coming  out  with  this  in  my  pocket,  I  am  still  con- 
versing with  the  genial  Lammersdorff.  "Have you  had 
a  good  trip  ?  "  I  ask. 

"Veil,  fifteen  t'ousand  dollars  talks." 

"You'll  have  a  lively  time  ii  it  rains.  It  looks 
threatening,  too." 

"  Veil,  I  dodges  Virginia  mud  dis  time.  I  goes  de 
odder  way." 

"How's  that?" 

"Veil,  de  army  dey  goes  to  Falmouth,  opposite 
Fredericksburg.  I  goes  down  de  Maryland  side  to 
Port  Tobacco,  den  it's  only  a  few  miles  ferry  across  to 
Aquia  Greek,  und  a  short  haul  to  Falmouth." 

"Then  a  pleasant  trip  to  you,"  I  say.  "What  time 
do  you  leave?" 

"Sometime  dis  afternoon.  If  it  look  like  rains  I 
starts  early.  I  goes  mid  four  vagoons. " 

I  shake  hands  with  him  once  more  and  get  on  my 
way.  I  must  find  some  church  where  our  names  will 
not  excite  comment  or  gossip.  St.  John's  won't  do. 
After  a  little  consideration,  I  select  out-of-the-way 
Christ's  Church,  down  towards  the  Navy  Yard. 

Catching  the  minister  at  home,  I  make  arrangements 
with  him  for  half-past  ten  o'clock.  Looking  at  my 
watch,  I  find  I  have  no  time  to  lose.  I  pick  up  the 
first  decent-looking  cab  I  meet,  and  from  a  little  con- 
versation with  the  driver,  judge  that  his  beat  being 
about  the  Capitol,  he  has  probably  never  seen  Miss 
Ashley.  I  get  in  the  carriage  and  pull  down  the  blinds. 
I  don't  care  for  outside  eyes  to  see  me  and  my  bride  on 
our  trip  about  Washington.  Inspired  by  the  promise 
of  extra  fee,  my  jehu  whips  up  his  horses  and  I  reach 
Franklin  Square  in  time  ;  in  fact,  I'm  five  minutes 
ahead  of  my  appointment  by  my  watch. 

Directing  the  driver  to  wait  for  me  on  I  street,  I  stroll 
into  the  grounds,  almost  deserted  at  this  early  hour,  for 
the  sun  gets  up  late  these  November  mornings,  and  the 
day  is  threatening.  Walking  to  the  fountain,  I  stand 
beside  it,  and  for  five  minutes  smoke  an  uneasy  cigar. 

Then  she  comes  !  Were  it  under  other  circumstances 
and  were  not  my  heart  full  of  anxiety  and  terror  for 
her,  I  would  be  the  happiest  man  on  earth  ;  for  this 


192  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

morning  my  bride  is  as  piquant  and  lovely  a  darling 
as  ever  gave  joy  to  heart  of  groom. 

Her  cheeks  are  full  of  maiden  blushes.  A  stray  curl 
of  hair  is  floating  in  the  breeze  beneath  her  piquant 
turban.  Her  eyes  are  bright  with  excitement ;  her 
bearing  brisk  with  the  energy  of  determined  action  ; 
her  dress  captivating  and  chic,  for  the  day  being  threat- 
ening, she  wears  a  gay  Balmoral  petticoat  that  is  dis- 
played by  looped  up  skirt,  after  the  fashion  of  that  day, 
from  beneath  which  two  dainty  feet  in  tight-laced, 
high-heeled  bottines  show  themselves  occasionally. 

Fora  moment  Eve's  delicate  fingers  falter  in  my  grasp 
as  she  asks  eagerly  :  "  Is  everything  ready  ?  " 

"Quite,  darling,"  I  answer.  "Come  with  me." 
And  placing  her  hand  in  pretty  confidence  on  my  arm, 
she  trips  by  my  side  as  I  lead  her  across  the  square 
to  where  my  jehu  is  waiting.  This  worthy  I  have  al- 
ready informed  of  my  destination,  charging  him  to 
avoid  the  main  thoroughfares  and  crowded  streets. 

I  deferentially  open  the  door  of  the  cab  ;  Eve  is 
about  to  get  in. 

But  even  as  her  foot  is  on  the  step  she  turns  flutter- 
ing to  me,  looks  me  straight  in  the  face  and  whispers  : 
"  It  is  not  too  late.  Billy,  it  isn't  pity  that  makes  you 
do  this?" 

"  It  is  love  !  "  I  answer,  gazing  into  her  eyes. 

She  knows  I  tell  the  truth.  "Thank  you!"  she 
says,  then  murmurs  :  "You  do  not  regret  ?  " 

"I  regret  nothing,"  I  say,  "except  my  unmanly 
promise — my  accursed  oath. " 

"  O-o-oh  !"  With  a  bashful  flutter,  my  bride  is  in 
the  cab,  turning  from  me  one  of  the  reddest  faces  I 
have  ever  seen. 

Stepping  in  after  her,  I  close  the  door.  "You  have 
every  confidence  in  me  ? "  I  whisper  into  her  ear.  which 
seems  to  me  like  a  ruby-tinted  shell. 

"Yes  !  "  A  little  hand  exquisitely  gloved  is  placed 
in  mine  trustfully. 

"Then  don't  you  think  I  deserve  a  kiss  ?" 

"Two  of  them,  Billy." 

Her  lips  meet  mine  confidingly,  lovingly ;  my  arm 
goes  round  the  lithe  waist  that  trembles  beneath  the 
pressure  of  my  hand.  I  am  caressing  her  as  an  every- 
day lover  does  an  everyday  sweetheart.  I  take  great 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  193 

care  to  say  nothing  to  add  to  her  agitation,  though  I  am 
determined  that  after  the  ceremony  Eve  shall  give  me 
every  explanation  it  is  a  wife's  duty  to  accord  her 
husband. 

We  get  to  the  minister's  sooner  than  I  expect.  "Oh 
mercy,  we  are  there  !  "  flutters  the  girl  piquantly,  as  1 
assist  her  out. 

The  ceremony  takes  scarcely  a  moment.  Though 
Eve  falters  a  little  when  she  promises  to  obey  me  ;  as 
I  place  the  ring  upon  her  finger  and  look  into  her  dear 
eyes,  I  know  she  means  to  be  a  loyal  wife  to  me.  We 
sign  the  register;  the  minister  delivers  to  my  bride,  the 
certificate  that  proves  Evelyn  Vernon  Ashley  is  now 
Evelyn  Vernon  Hamilton,  she  folds  it  up  carefully  and 
whispers  :  "  Billy,  even  if  you  should  hate  me  for  this, 
I  shall  always  treasure  it." 

"  Hate  you  ?  "  I  whisper.  "  Love  you  !  Love  you  ! 
LOVE  YOU  !  " 

My  ardor  makes  her  extremely  bashful.  She  trips 
down  the  steps,  half  laughing,  half  crying,  while  the 
worthy  rector,  with  a  goodly  fee  in  his  pocket,  looks 
kindly  after  us  as  I  step  down  the  stairs  to  the  carriage 
in  which  Eve  is  already  seated. 

"You  can  drive  back  to  Franklin  Square,"  I  say  to 
the  driver — "slowly." 

"  Bedad,  I  understand,  yer  honor!"  answers  the 
hackman  cocking  his  eye  at  me  jovially.  Guessing  he 
has  been  on  a  bridal  outing,  he  evidently  expects  a  hand- 
some douceur. 

Then  I  turn  my  eyes  on  my  bride.  She  is  in  a 
corner  of  the  carriage,  looking  as  agitatedly  diffident 
as  her  namesake  at  interview  with  the  serpent  and 
holding  the  forbidden  fruit  in  her  hand. 

"But  it  is /who  am  forbidden  to  eat!"  I  reflect 
grimly. 

Looking  on  her  exquisite  loveliness,  something  in 
my  face  frightens  her  as  I  step  in  beside  her.  She 
mutters  :  "  For  God's  sake,  remember,  Billy  !  " 

"  I  remember  my  oalh — you  remember  your  vows  \ 
Two  kisses,"  I  say  cheerily,  "and  I'm  your  obedient 
servant. " 

"As  many  as  you  want ;  I  love  you." 

" Now,"  I  go  on,  "at  least  I  can  command  from  you 
wifely  obedience  and  wifely  frankness.  Tell  me  your 


194  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

exact  relations  with  that  cursed  villain  of  the  United 
States  Secret  Service." 

"  I — I  do  not  want  to  give  them  to  you.  I  will  not 
give  them  to  you  !  The  knowledge  might  compromise 
you. " 

"You  must!     I  am  compromised  already." 

"How?  oh  Heaven,  how?" 

"  By  my  love  for  you.  I  am  going  to  save  you.  If 
not,  why  did  I  marry  you  ? — why  did  you  marry  me?" 

"Because — " here  the  girl  frightens  me.  " Because, 
Billy,"  she  whispers  in  my  ear,  "  I  feared  that  in  some 
weak  moment  I  might  become  poltroon  enough  to 
marry  him." 

"  You — you  love  him  ?  " 

' '  Love  him — that  dastard,  who  sells  himself  for  money 
and  then  betrays  his  purchaser?  I  loathe — I  despise 
him  1  But  in  some  weak  moment,  Billy,  I  feared  I 
might,  to  save  my  life,  promise  to  marry  him.  It  is 
not  pleasant  to  die  so  young,  and  for  what  I  have  done 
they'd  hang  me  high  as  Human.  I — I  bribed  him  ;  I 
sold  Bonny  Belle  to  give  him  the  money.  He  now 
says  he  did  it  for  love  of  me." 

"The  pontoons  for  Burnside  ? "  I  whisper,  so  low  she 
catches  it  only  from  the  formation  of  my  lips. 

"Yes." 

"Then  he's  as  guilty  as  you  are  !  " 

"  No ;  Arago  only  did  it  to  trick  me.  The  forged 
order  was  never  sent.  He  told  me  that  yesterday  after- 
noon, and  laughed  at  me." 

"Then  he  lies!  That  forged  order  was  sent.  The 
pontoons  have  been  delayed  four  days." 

Then,  oh  the  glory  that  comes  into  that  girl's  face  1 
"Have  I  given  my  dear  country,  the  Confederacy, 
another  chance?"  she  whispers.  "Have  I  stayed 
Burnside  till  Lee  has  time  ?  What  do  I  care  now  if 
they  give  me  a  shameful  death  ?  It  will  be  my  glory  ! '" 
Then  the  sunshine  in  her  eyes  seems  to  fill  the  car- 
riage with  radiance. 

Shuddering  for  myself — I,  the  Union  officer,  who  have 
been  made  faithless  to  my  cause  by  love,  gaze  on  this 
Rebel  girl  who  can  love  but  can't  forget  her  people's 
battle. 

She  has  risen  in  the  carriage.  But  I  draw  her  back  to 
me  and  mutter:  "For  God's  sake,  think  of  me,  who 
love  you — think  of  the  husband  who  will  save  you." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  195 

"  Yes,  it  would  be  pleasant  to  live — to  see  my  South 
free  1  Pleasant — "  She  looks  at  me,  puts  her  arms 
round  my  neck  of  her  own  free  will  and  kisses  me. 

"Now  tell  me  everything  !  "  I  mutter. 

"  I  will.  When  I  first  came  here,  anxious  to  do  a  little 
for  the  South  ;  full  of  vengeance — General  Milroy  had 
burned  the  house  over  my  dear  mother's  head.  From 
some  hints  I  received  in  Washington,  I  judged  Arago, 
clerk  in  the  Quartermaster-General's  Office,  was  in  the 
p"ay  of  the  Confederacy  ;  that  he  received  his  money 
in  drafts  sent  him  from  England.  I  met  him  in  society  ; 
sounded  him  :  he  gave  me  some  secrets,  important 
ones,  one  of  which  1  succeeded  in  delivering  the  morn- 
ing after  the  night  you  arrested  me." 

"  Ahl  that  was  the  reason  Stonewall  Jackson  would 
not  have  paroled  me  if  I  had  known  your  name  1 " 

"When  I  returned  here,  Arago  was  glad  to  again 
assist  me.  He  said,  my  being  the  niece  of  the  patriotic 
Senator,  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  Republican  party, 
made  it  safer  for  him  to  be  intimate  at  our  house.  A 
few  days  ago,  he  told  me  his  suspicions  that  Freder- 
icksburg  would  be  Burnside's  route  to  Richmond. 

' '  Before  leaving  our  Southern  lines,  I  had  held  consul- 
tation with  a  General  of  the  Confederate  Army,  who 
had  told  me  carefully  what  thing  would  most  cripple 
the  Federal  advance  by  the  various  routes  to  Rich- 
mond, the  Shenandoah,  the  Peninsula,  the  line  of  the 
Rappahannock,  either  at  Fredericksburg  or  above.  At 
Fredericksburg  it  was  the  necessity  of  pontoons,  to 
bridge  the  river.  'Keep  them  from  crossing,' he  said 
to  me,  'till  Lee  gets  ready  for  them  and  if  the  Yanks 
cross,  by  Dixie,  there  won't  many  of  them  get  back 
again.'  And  I  have  done  it !  "  she  ejaculates  in  triumph, 
then  falters  :  "O  Heaven !  what  a  blow  it  was  to  me, 
when  that  dastard  told  me  I  had  failed — that  he  had 
trapped  me.  It  was  not  the  dread  of  imprisonment, 
though,  my  gentleman,  even  as  he  wooed  me,  jingled 
the  handcuffs — it  wasn't  the  fear  of  the  gallows,  though 
I  saw  it  over  me ;  it  was  the  thought  that  I  had  failed 
that  crushed  me  and  made  me  coward  with  Arago.  But 
now  !  now!  NOW  !  Her  eyes  blaze  up  and  glow.  Sud- 
denly she  laughs  hysterically  :  "  O  Billy  !  What  a 
Rebel  I  am  !  "  and  sinks  sobbing  into  my  arms  while  I 
gaze  on  her  with  only  one  thought  in  my  mind  — how  to 


196  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

save  her  t  That's  all  I  think  of  now  !  How  to  save 
her  !  God  help  me — I  have  forgotten  my  duty  to  my 
uniform,  to  my  flag,  to  my  country — all  but  her 
safety  I " 

The  scoundrel  Arago  is  equally  guilty  with  her.  I 
must  spare  him — to  shield  her.  Oh,  I  am  a  fine  Union 
man  on  my  marriage  day  !  Her  safety  depends  on  his 
— then  his  depends  on  hers.  He  dare  not  denounce  her. 
He  has  only  tried  to  frighten  her  to  gain  her.  He's 
been  partially  true  to  his  Confederate  paymasters — he's 
been  somewhat  true  to  his  Union  employers.  He  has 
been  wholly  faithless  and  pitiless  to  the  girl  whose 
beauty  has  driven  him  mad  to  win  her — as  it  has  me? 

As  I  think,  my  bride  recovers  herself  and  whispers  : 
"  I  should  like  to  live  now.  You  think  you  can  save 
me?  Her  kisses  make  me  strong  enough  traitor,  to 
swear  :"  "By  Heaven  I  No  Government  spies  shall 
ever  take  my  wife  !  " 

We  are  at  Franklin  Square.  Eve,  after  her  nervous 
spasm  has  grown  calm  again.  Her  pretty  head  is  held 
high.  She  whispers  "  That  is  the  only  break-down 
of  my  life.  And  it  was  because  I  thought  of  you." 

"Very  well,"  I  answer,  as  with  a  last  kiss,  I  help 
her  from  the  carriage,  "  go  quietly  to  your  aunt's. 
But  be  sure  to  be  at  home  in  an  hour  from  now.  By 
that  time  I  shall  call  on  you  ;  then  I  shall  have  deter- 
mined what  I  shall  do  with  you  1 " 

My  tone  is  that  of  dominant  husband.  She  looks  at 
me  anxiously  but  lovingly  ;  then  suddenly  whispers  : 
"You — you  are  going  to  send  me  from  Washing- 
ton ? " 

"Probably  !  In  any  event  I  shall  do  what  I  deem 
best  for  my  wife's  safety  !  If  your  only  danger  came 
from  Arago  you  might  stay  here  forever.  Good-bye. 
Are  you  going  to  tell  Aunt  Lucy  what  we've  been 
doing  ? " 

"Oh,  Heaven  !  I — I  couldn't — I — good-bye,  my — 
my — husband  I " 

Whispering  this  with  a  blush  she  runs  lightly  from 
me  and  I,  following  her  graceful  figure  with  my  eye, 
shudder  as  I  think  of  the  danger  that  is  upon  my  love 
— not  from  Arago — but  from  others  who  must  have 
been  connected  with  the  successful  execution  gf 

plot  against  our  nation, 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  197 

Then,  dismissing  the  hackman  with  a  liberal  fee,  I 
go  back  to  my  rooms  on  F  Street,  to  find  another  and 
immediate  element  of  danger  to  her. 

As  I  enter  my  parlor,  Lommox  stands  erect  before 
me  and  salutes,  his  Irish  brogue  greeting  me:  "Be- 
dad,  Cap.,  1  was  afraid  you  were  niver  coming." 

"All,  they  asked  you  to  wait  for  me?"  I  remark, 
attempting  nonchalance,  though  my  heart  is  beating 
wildly,  for  here  is  a  man  who  should  be  able  to  tell 
me  much.  "  I  supposed  you  were  anxious  to  see  me, 
and  so  instructed  the  servant  to  tell  you  to  wait." 

"  Faith,  an'  I  do  want  to  see  ye.  Begob,  Cap  n,  I'm 
in  a  divil  of  a  schrape." 

"Not  been  drunk  again,  I  hope?  "  I  say  severely. 

"Wirrah,  if  it  was  only  that !  Bad  luck  to  it,  if  it 
was  only  that !  But  it's  a  thing  I've  got  to  have  advice 
upon,  so  I  thought  I'd  come  to  ye,  me  ">uld  captain. 
Tare  an'  ages,  hasn't  it  been  tearing  me  inside  out  iver 
since  I've  been  under  arrest ! " 

"  Ah,  you  wish  to  speak  to  me  confidentially,  as  h 
I  were  your  counsel  before  a  court-martial,"  I  suggest. 

"Faith,  an'  I  do." 

"Very  well;  open  your  heart  to  me."  I  close  my 
door  and  lock  it. 

"It's  about  them  damned  pontoons  !  "  says  the  ser- 
geant in  low  voice,  getting  near  me. 

' '  What  pontoons  ? " 

"Sure  of  course  ye  don't  know  anything  about  'em. 
Nobody  does ;  it's  a  sacret  of  the  War  Department. 
Eighty  pontoons  and  two  thousan'  fate  of  bridge 
ordered  from  the  Depot-Quartermaster  last  Wednesday 
evening — just  a  week  ago  this  cursed  day.  Ye  know 
I'm  one  of  the  orderlies  at  the  Quartermaster  gineral's  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Well,  Arago,  one  of  the  head  clerks,  at  6  :  45  in  the 
avening — it  was  dark  thin — comes  out  with  a  requisi- 
tion, number  1410  they  calls  it."  That  bastely  Fin- 
naker  was  with  him.  He  hands  it  to  me  and  says: 
'  Deliver  it  to  the  Depot-Quartermaster  at  once.'" 

"1  slip  the  cursed  envelope  in  my  sidebelt.  Ye- 
know  they  niver  tell  ye  the  importance  of  an  order ; 
it's  all  damned  official  loutine;  they  send  a  requisition 
for  a  box  of  tacks  just  the  same  as  if  were  a  requisition 
that'll  send  a  hundred  thousand  men  to  the  divil — that 


198  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

carries  the  lives  of  an  army  in  it,"  the  sergeant  mutters, 
with  tears  in  his  honest  eyes.  ' '  Bad  luck  to  'em  1  not  a 
word  did  the  sons  of  guns  tell  me  it  was  any  exiree  im- 
portance ;  just  handed  it  and  said  :  '  Take  it ! ' 

"With  it  in  my  side-belt,  I  jumps  on  my  horse  and 
turns  from  Seventeenth  Strate  into  F.  Down  I  goes 
straight  for  Twenty-second  Strate,  aisy  trot.  The  night 
was  as  black  as  a  dark-lantern  ;  there  was  only  a  few 
people  in  the  strate ;  not  so  crowded  on  the  rise  as  it  is 
further  down. 

"Suddenly,  out  of  the  darkness,  comes  to  me  tne 
swatest  voice  I  iver  heard ;  a  poor  girl  shrieking, 
'  Oh,  God,  assist  me ;  a  man  is  insulting  me  I '  By 
heaven,  I'm  a  soldier  and  an  Irishman  I  Bedad,  there 
was  a  woman,  apparently  struggling  with  a  niggah.  I 
reined  up  my  charger.  What  did  I  think  of  a  damned 
quartermaster's  order,  that  might  be  for  a  pace  of  rope 
or  a  box  of  tacks.  I  jumps  off  me  horse  to  the  girl's 
assistance,  and  as  I  jumps  off,  damned  if  the  niggah 
didn't  butt  me  in  the  stomach  ;  I  thought  a  battering- 
ram  had  struck  me.  Then  I  up  and  at  him.  Biff ! — 
God  save  us,  how  he  squealed  I  BIFF  ! — I  chased  him 
for  a  block. 

"When  I  came  back  the  girl  was  holding  my 
charger.  'Thank  ye,' she  said,  'sergeant.'  Sure,  how 
did  she  know  I  was  sergeant  ?  '  I  think  you've  dropped 
something.'  She  handed  me  a  cursed  official  envelope. 

"  'Can  I  do  anything  more  for  you,  me  darlint?'  I 
asked. 

"  '  No  ; '  and  she  fled  into  the  darkness. 

"I  mounted  me  horse,  and  found  somehow  my  side- 
belt  had  been  cut ;  the  order  must  have  dropped  from 
it  when  the  niggah  butted  me.  With  the  envelope  in 
my  hand,  I  gallop  down  to  the  Depot-Quartermaster's. 
I  wasn't  behind  time  more  than  a  minute,  and  deliv- 
ered it." 

"Well?"  I  say. 

"Well,  murder!  That's  what  it  is — MURDER  I  The 
damned  order  had  been  changed  from  eighty  pontoons 
to  eight  pontoons,  and  from  two  thousand  fate  of  road- 
way to  two  hundred  fate — damn  it ! — hardly  enough 
to  bridge  a  trout  strame;  and,  begob,  they  meant  it 
for  the  whole  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  cross  the  Rappa- 
hannock.  They  didn't  find  out  about  it  for  four  days  •; 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  199 

then,  whirr  f — how  things  ripped,  up  at  the  Quarter- 
master-Giniral's. 

"They  had  me  up  and  questioned  me.  '  Lommox,' 
said  I  to  meself,  '  stick  to  yer  instructions.  Ye  re- 
ceived it  at  6.45,  ye  delivered  it  at  6.51,  by  yer  re- 
ceipts ;  not  much  over  time  in  the  crowded  strate 
between  the  Quartermaster-Giniral's  office  and  the 
depot.'  So  I  stuck  to  that  story  through  thick  and 
thin,  and  that's  all  I  told  'em.  They  put  me  under 
arrest.  But  if  they  bring  me  up  agin,  if  they  go  cross- 
questioning  me,  if  they  make  make  me  tell  'em  every- 
thing I  did  from  the  toime  I  jumped  on  me  charger  in 
front  of  the  Quartermaster-Giniral's  office  to  the  toime 
I  raiched  the  Depot-Quartermaster's — tare  an'  ages, 
they'll  hang  me  1  What  do  ye  advise?  Captain,  for 
the  love  of  God,  what  do  ye  advise?" 

"Stick  to  your  first  story,"  I  answer  sharply. 
"Don't  say  another  word,  no  matter  what  questions 
they  ask  you.  Received  the  order  at  6.45  P.M.,  de- 
livered it  at  6. 51  P.M. 

"You  think  that's  the  best  way  out  of  a  bad  affair?  " 

"Yes,  I  know  it  is !  Besides,  the  Government  won't 
want  to  make  this  too  public.  They  don't  care  about 
army  blunders  being  criticised  in  the  newspapers  just 
at  present.  We  make  too  many  of  them." 

"Well,  then,  it's  a  close  mouth  I'll  have." 

Here  I  ask  anxiously:  "What  kind  of  a  looking 
creature  was  the  girl  who  stopped  you  ?" 

"How  could  I  tell?  She  was  muffled  up;  it  was 
too  dark.  Ye  know  what  those  gas-lamps  down  there 
are  ;  there  wasn't  one  within  half  a  block  of  us." 

"Billy,  Mrs.  Bream  and  I  have  come  to  see  you," 
strikes  my  ear  through  the  closed  door. 

It  is  the  voice  of  my  wife  ;  she  has  come  with  her  aunt. 

But,  before  I  can  recollect  for  what  reason,  the 
sergeant  startles  me  by  whispering:  "I  said  I  couldn't 

tell  the  face,  but "  He  has  his  hand  upon  his 

heart ;  his  eyes  are  blazing. 

"Billy,  are  you  in?  Open  the  doorl  Mrs.  Bream 
and  I  are  here." 

"Who  is  that?"  asks  Lommox  hoarsely. 

"My  sweetheart — my  affianced — with  her  aunt,  the 
wife  of  a  United  States  Senator.  Why  do  you  ask  ? " 

"  Because  if  that  was  not  the  voice  of  your  swate- 


200  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

heart,  a  high-bred  Union  young  lady,  Cap'n  Hamilton, 
I'd  say  that  was  the  voice  of  the  girl  who  called  me  to 
her  help  one  wake  ago  and  swiped  the  true  order  and 
handed  the  false  requisition  back  to  me." 

"  Oh,  nonsense  !  "  I  break  out,  though  my  face  is 
white.  Then  I  cry  :  "I'll  open  the  door  and  be  with 
you  in  a  moment,  Eve  !  "  For  I  must  keep  her  soft 
tones  from  betraying  her  again. 

With  this  I  turn  to  the  sergeant  and  mutter  :  "  Re- 
member, Lommox,  as  you  value  your  own  safety,  stick 
to  your  first  story,  if  you  don't  want  to  drag  a  ball 
and  chain  all  your  natural  life.  6  :  45 — 6  :  51  !  Chivalry 
wouldn't  save  you  before  a  court-martial.  Good-bye." 
I  open  the  door.  "  If  you  want  any  further  advice  in 
the  matter,  call  on  me  ;  I'm  your  friend.  If  you  want 
any  money  in  the  matter,  call  on  me  ;  I'm  your  cap- 
tain, I  stand  by  you.  You're  a  gallant  fellow  anyway." 

"God  bless  you;  you  give  comfort  unto  me,"  and 
stepping  out,  gallant  Irishman  that  he  is,  Lommox 
doffs  his  forage  cap  politely  to  the  two  beautiful  ladies 
and  his  eyes  light  up  at  the  loveliness  of  the  girl  who 
has  betrayed  him — though  he  knows  it  not. 

"Bedad,  Cap.,  I  wish  ye  and  your  young  lady  joy,  "he 
says.  "Good  luck.  God  bless  your  swate  face,  Miss. 
I've  been  your  captain's  sergeant  for  many  a  day." 
And  with  military  salute,  the  sergeant  strides  down 
the  stairs,  while  I,  with  the  unutterable  on  my  face, 
motion  my  wife  and  her  aunt  into  my  parlor;  thinking 
grimly:  "Verily,  these  are  the  nuptials  of  Damocles 
— to  both  bride  and  groom." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

LAMMERSDORFF,  THE  SUTLER. 

As  they  come  in  and  I  close  the  door  on  them  ;  Lucy 
Bream's  speech  tells  me  that  she  knows  at  least  of  our 
wedding.  "Billy  !  Billy  !  how  could  you  do  it?"  she 
breaks  out. 

"Then  Eve  has  told  you  that  I  married  her  this 
morning  ? " 

"  Yes,  you  naughty  fellow." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  2OI 

"  Weil,  isn't  that  excuse  enough  ? "  And  I  point  to 
the  beautiful  creature  who  is  standing  regarding  us, 
with  blushes  upon  her  face,  her  eyes  very  bright,  her 
head  erect,  her  nostrils  dilated,  her  pretty  nose  a  little 
in  the  air. 

"  My  husband,"  she  says,  "  I  thought  it  best,  on  ac- 
count of  a  social  complication,  to  tell  my  aunt  I  had 
become  your  wife.  We  have  come  here  to  consult  you 
about  this."  She  hands  me  a  little  note. 

"I  cannot  understand,  that  wretch  Arago's  having 
the  audacity  to  write  such  a  nasty  note  ;  "  says  Lucy 
Bream,  savagely.  Evidently  Eve  has  told  her  of  noth- 
ing but  our  marriage. 

I  glance  over  the  billet.  It  is  a  communication  from 
Arago,  and  demands  that  Eve  promise  to  marry  him 
this  evening.  To  me,  reading  between  the  lines,  know- 
ing the  circumstances,  every  sentence  is  a  covert  threat. 

"He  even  writes  as  if  he  had  power  over  her!  " 
cries  Lucy,  angrily,  "  William,  the  impertinent  scamp 
should  be  horsewhipped  !  " 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  I  say,  "  and  I'm  just  the  man  to 
do  it — but  this  is  not  the  proper  time.  We  have  a  certain 
young  lady's  name  to  keep  above  scandal,  above  gos- 
sip. Will  you  help  me  to  do  it,  Aunt  Lucy  ?  " 

"Aunt  Lucy? — Oh,  yes,  you  have  become  one  of 
the  family,  haven't  you  ?  "  laughs  the  pretty  matron. 
"  Of  course,  I'll  do  anything  to  keep  a  naughty  girl  like 
Eve,  whom  I  dearly  love,  out  of  any  trouble  what- 
soever." 

Looking  at  her,  I  conclude  that  I  dare  not  trust  Lucy 
Bream  with  the  awful  nature  of  the  real  trouble.  In 
justice  to  her,  and  her  husband,  the  Senator,  I  must 
keep  them  out  of  this  matter,  if  possible.  "Very  well," 
I  say  ;  "  will  you  excuse  me  if  I  ask  you  to  permit  me 
a  few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  my  wife,  in 
order  that  we  may  settle  what  is  best  to  be  done  in  an 
affair  in  which  I  do  not  wish  you  to  be  any  more  in- 
terested than  you  can  help — being  our  aunt.'" 

"Of  course,"  says  Lucy.  "I'll  go  into  the  next 
room."  But  at  the  door  she  turns,  and  suggests, 
roguishly,  "I  imagine  it's  kisses,  not  words,  you  want 


with  that  naughty  girl,  Billy.' 
"Perhaps  I'll  have  a  little  o 


a  little  of  both."  I  reply,  as  lightly 
as  I  can. 


»02  BILLY    HAMILTON 

"  Well,  I  shan't  give  you  too  many  kisses,"  laughs 
Eve,  trying  to  veil  her  anxiety  by  piquancy,  "if  you 
question  me  too  savagely  about  my  anti-nupital  beaux 
— Mr.  Arago,  for  instance." 

But  as  Aunt  Lucy  closes  the  door,  my  heroine's  face — 
great  jingo,  I'm  commencing  to  regard  her  in  that  way  ! 
— loses  its  lightness,  though  it  doesn't  lose  its  courage. 

I  step  towards  my  bride  and  whisper  :  "  I  have  but 
a  few  hours  to  save  your  life  1  " 

"Why?" 

"Lommox!" 

"Ah  !  "  her  tone  tells  she  understands. 

"If  Mr.  Stan  ton  questions  him,  under  that  lawyer's 
shrewd  examination  the  sergeant  may  tell  a  little  about 
the  beautiful  voice  he  recognized  in  this  room — the 
tones  of  the  girl  who  substituted  a  false  order  for 
Special  Requisition  No.  1410  on  G  Street  a  week  ago." 

"Ah,  you  know?  "     But  her  face  is  still  courageous. 

"  Everything  1  Where's  Quashie  ?  "  I  question  hur- 
riedly. 

"  Outside  the  lines,  I  hope,  by  this  time.  Privileged 
contrabands  roam  everywhere." 

"Yes  ;  but  you — 1  must  get  you  out  of  Uncle  Sam's 
grip  in  time.  I  think  I  shall  send  you  to  England  or 
Europe."  I  add  contemptalively. 

"I  won't  go  there  1  " 

"Ah,  rebellious  already  1" 

"No,  my  husband;  but  I  don't  want  to  be  too  far 
away  from  my  mother  in  all  the  trouble  this  war  has 
brought  upon  Virginia  and  you  !  Send  me  across  the 
lines — get  me  across  the  lines." 

"  That  would  be  almost  a  miracle  now." 

"  Yes,  I  know  that.  At  first  it  was  easy  ;  then  it 
grew  difficult ;  now  it  is  next  to  impossible.  But  still, 
I've  had  a  little  experience  in  this  business  already. 
And  you — your  knowledge  of  the  Secret  Service  as 
provost-marshal  should  help  you." 

"It  doesn't ;  it  only  makes  me  despair.  Every  con- 
ductor on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  is  a  member 
of  Baker's  organization.  Every  ticket-seller  at  the 
Washington  Railroad  Offices  notes  where  you  are 
going.  If  you  take  tickets  for  Baltimore,  and  you  get 
off  at  Leonardstown,  or  any  other  route  to  the  Lower 
Potomac  that  might  lead  you  into  Virginia,  you  will  be 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  203 

*hado\ved  from  that  moment — perhaps  arrested  at 
once." 

"Yes,  I  have  reason  to  think  that  too, "she  says, 
poking  her  pretty  foot  with  the  end  of  her  parasol  ; 
then  breaks  out  in  self-reproach  :  "I  should  never 
have  let  you  marry  me  !  I  was  mad — crazy — to  permit 
you  to  wed  me  and  sacrifice  yourself.  Forget  I'm  your 
wife.  I  stay  here  !  I  take  my  chances  !  I'm  not  afraid 
of  Arago — now  that  I  have  triumphed  ! " 

"No;  he'll  never  dare  denounce  you.     But  others 

may  ;  and  then "  I  shudder.      "  No,  you're  my  wife. 

Never  for  one  moment  forget  that ;  never  for  one 
moment  forget  that  I  will  save  you."  She  answers  me 
with  her  eyes  and  I  go  on  with  military  promptness  : 
"Have  everything  ready  to  move  within  two  hours. 
Pack  your  riding-habit — you've  got  the  dear  old  gray 
one,"  I  say,  a  lover's  tones  in  my  voice.  "  Take  the 
few  things  you  want  for  such  a  trip  in  a  very  small 
valise.  Be  sure  to  wear  a  good  waterproof  and  hood  ; 
it's  going  to  rain  now.  Dress  very  plainly  ;  the  long 
rubber  cloak  will  protect  you  from  the  weather  and 
serve  to  hide  the  beauties  of  a  figure  that  would  attract 
the  eyes  of  every  one.  Will  you  obey  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  Billy!" 

"God  bless  you!" 

"That  is  what  I  want  you  to  do — take  me  to 
Viginia ! "  She  puts  her  arms  around  my  neck  and 
kisses  me  and  murmurs  :  "Take  me  to  Virginia." 

There  seems  to  be  a  latent  meaning  in  her  words, 
but  I  don't  analyze  it ;  her  lips  make  me  too  much  in 
love  with  her  to  think  of  aught  else  but  the  beautiful, 
creature  who  is  my  wife. 

I  go  to  the  door  and  opening  it  say  :  "Aunt  Lucy, 
our  interview  didn't  take  as  long  as  you  expected." 

"  No  ;  I  thought  you'd  keep  me  an  hour,"  answers 
the  matron,  adding  laughingly  as  she  enters  :  "Didn't 
even  have  a  lover's  quarrel." 

"No  time  for  that,"  I  reply.  "We've  made  up  our 
minds.  I'm  going  to  send  Eve  to  her  relatives  in 
Virginia;  that  will  at  least  stop  any  immediate  compli- 
cation with  Mr.  Arago.  You  can  tell  him,  and  it'll  be 
best  for  you  to  announce  to  your  friends,  generally, 
that  Miss  Ashley  has  taken  a  trip  North.  Have  you 
no  relatives  there  she  might  visit  ?  " 


204.  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  Yes  ;  the  Doubledays,  in  Southern  Illinois  ;  first 
cousins ;  Eve  knows  them,  though  they're  on  my 
husband's  side.  It's  an  out-of-the-way  place ;  hasn't 
got  a  telegraph  station." 

"So  much  the  better.  Just  quietly  circulate  this 
among  Washington  society." 

"Would  it  not  be  better  that  Eve  stayed  here  ?  " 

"No,"  I  reply,  "for  in  that  case  I  should  have  to 
horsewhip  Mr.  Arago  the  first  time  I  met  him." 

"Very  well ;  anything  to  avoid  scandal." 

"Thank  you,  dear  auntie,"!  say,  and  give  her  a 
nephew's  kiss.  "To  avoid  my  name  being  mentioned 
in  the  matter,  Eve  had  better  meet  me — not  at  your 
house  but  Franklin  Square,  the  place  from  which  we 
eloped  this  morning.  Then  I  will  join  her  and  take 
her  away — at  two  o'clock." 

"And  can  you  get  her  through  the  lines?"  queries 
Mrs.  Bream  doubtfully. 

"I  can  try." 

"And  Eve,  what  do  you  say  ?  "  asks  the  aunt. 

"This  morning  I — I  promised  to  obey  him, "mutters 
the  young  lady  bashfully.  My  bride's  words  give  me 
a  throb  of  joy. 

"Very  well,  then.  Take  her,  Billy,  but  oh  !  if  you're 
not  good  to  her — if  you're  not  good  to  her  !  "  And  the 
Senator's  wife  shakes  a  little  fist  in  my  face  determin- 
edly. 

"Ah,  yes;  an  aunf-in-\aw,  instead  of  a  mother-\r\- 
law,"  I  laugh,  and  give  Lucy  another  kiss. 

They  are  at  the  door.  But  Eve  comes  to  me  once 
again,  and  putting  her  arms  round  my  neck,  kisses  me, 
whispering  :  "Take  me  to  Virginia  !  "  There  is  a  fire 
in  her  eye,  there's  a  latent  suggestion  in  her  voice, 
that  makes  my  heart  jump. 

Then  she  leaves  me,  with  the  most  difficult  problem 
of  my  life  on  my  hands.  My  very  knowledge  of  pro- 
vost-marshal affairs  makes  me  appreciate  the  tremen- 
dous obstacles  in  my  path.  I  might  take  my  bride  North 
easily  ;  but  at  no  point  in  the  United  States  would  she  be 
safe  from  Baker's  sleuthhounds.  To  get  through  the  lines 
has  gradually  become  more  and  more  difficult  since  the 
beginning  of  the  war ;  and  now  with  Secret  Service 
officers  teeming  everywhere,  with  each  ford  or  ferry 
on  the  Potomac  guarded,  from  the  Cumberland  mount- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  205 

ains  down  to  its  very  mouth,  while  small  gunboats 
and  steam  launches  are  patrolling  its  navigable  waters, 
to  cross  it  seems  to  me  well-nigh  impossible. 

My  first  difficulty  is  to  get  Eve  out  of  Washington. 
I  could  take  a  train  to  the  North  with  her  and  run  un- 
questioned to  New  York  ;  but  if  we  bought  tickets  for 
Baltimore  and  got  off  at  any  way-point,  we  should 
certainly  be  watched,  probably  apprehended. 

How  to  get  her  out  of  Washington  ? 

Suddenly  it  strikes  me.  Lammersdorff  ! — in  a  sutler's 
wagon.  Then  I  think  of  myself  :  though  on  waiting 
orders  I  cannot  depart  from  the  city  without  leave  of 
absence.  To  ask  at  the  provost-marshal's  may  causw 
questions. 

In  a  flash  I  remember  the  note  from  my  coloneJ 
that  arrived  the  night  before.  For  seven  days'  leave 
hissignature  is  perfectly  good.  I  hurry  over  to  my  com> 
mander.  Fortunately  he  is  still  at  W'illard's.  ColoneJ 
Durant  is  happy  to  see  me  ;  I  had  always  been  a  favor* 
ite  of  his. 

"  I  only  sent  for  you,  Hamilton,  just  to  sympathize 
with  you  on  your  parole  and  ask  if  I  could  do  anything 
for  you." 

"Only  one  thing,"  I  reply.  "It  will  save  me  a 
visit  to  the  Provost-Marshal-General's  office.  I  want 
leave  of  absence  for  seven  days.  My  troop  is  not 
detached  from  your  regiment." 

"To  visit  your  family  in  Baltimore?  I  thought 
they  had  spurned  their  Union  son." 

"Yes,  but  that's  the  reason.  My  sister  Birdie  has 
fallen  in  love  with  a  Union  officer,  Captain  Vermilye 
of  the  artillery,  I  want  to  help  his  suit  with  her." 

"  Oh,  a  good  Union  girl  in  the  family?  " 

"No,"  I  laugh  ;  "  but  a  girl  who  loves  a  good  Union 
officer. " 

"Very  well;  seven  days,  with  permission  to  apply 
to  the  War  Department  for  thirty  days  more  ;  you  won't 
be  exchanged  within  that  time,"  he  says  glumly  as  he 
dashes  off  the  paper. 

"No,"  I  reply  ;  "  I'm  afraid  not."  And  with  a  clasp 
of  his  hand  I  leave  him.  for  Durant  is  in  a  hurry  now  ; 
he  is  going  to  the  front  again. 

Now  Lammersdorff !  I  hurry  to  the  Konig  Wilhelm. 
The  sutler  is  not  there,  but  I  learn  where  his  wagons 


a 00  BILLY   HAMILTON, 

are — at  least,  where  they  should  be  if  he  has  not  already 
gone.  Springing  on  my  charger,  for  I  have  Roderick 
in  action  now,  I  gallop  off  to  one  of  the  outlying  sut- 
lers' camps  of  the  city,  and  fortunately  find  Lammers- 
dorff  not  yet  departed ;  though  he  is  very  nearly  ready 
for  the  road. 

As  I  have  been  riding  I  have  been  thinking  how  to 
approach  this  man.  A  sutler's  privilege  is  a  very 
valuable  concession  ;  Lammersdorff  will  hesitate,  even 
though  he  thinks  I  saved  his  life,  to  do  anything  to 
violate  it. 

"  Hello,  Mein  Herr  Bridegroom  !  Are  your  running 
away  from  your  wife  already  ?  "  he  laughs,  as  I  come 
galloping  to  him. 

"No,"  I  reply.  But  I'm  running  away  from  my 
mother-in-law  !  " 

"  Mein  HimmeU     I  did  clat  meinself  vonce  !  " 

"  You  are  a  little  too  smart,"  I  continue,  "  not  to  sus- 
pect that  my  marriage  this  morning  was  a  kind  of 
secret  affair." 

"  Ya,  I  guessed  you  vas  doing  it  on  de  sly." 

"Well,  my  bride's  mother  is  looking  for  her  daughter. 
You  see,  the  young  lady's  a  little  under  age.  Now  I 
want  to  get  my  wife  quietly  out  of  Washington  with- 
out going  to  the  railroad  depot." 

"Sure  !  So  you  can  get  on  your  vedding  tour  vidout 
having  your  hair  taken  out  by  the  roots." 

"Yes,  something  of  that  kind.  I  have  the  necessary 
leave  of  absence  from  my  colonel,  but  I  don't  want  to 
take  my  wife  on  my  arm  and  go  to  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  depot,  where  I  think  her  mother  is  waiting  for 
us." 

"Just  so.     Veil,  vat  can  I  do  mid  you?" 

"You  can  put  me  and  my  wife  in  one  of  your  sutler  s 
wagons  and  drive  us  out  of  Washington." 

"  But  dey  vill  ask  me  qvestions  crossing  the  Union 
bridge,  down  mid  der  Navy  Yard. " 

"  Well  they  needn't  see  us." 

"  Dat  es  so  !  Dey  needn't  see  you  if  I  put  you  in 
ze  back  of  von  of  dose  vhite  covered  wagons  and  t'rows 
a  tarpaulin  over  you.  You  von't  mind  riding  that  vay 
mid  your  pretty  wife  ? " 

On  second  thoughts,  I  say,  "I  will  only  let  mv 
wife  go  with  you  ;  I  will  ride  out  on  my  charger  with 


toii^V   HAMILTON.  207 

my  leave  of  absence  in  my  pocket,  and  who  will  stop  a 
Union  officer?" 

"Quite  right !  Ve'll  do  eberyting  to  make  .ze  lady 
commonfortable. " 

"  Where  shall  I  put  her  on  board?  " 

"  Round  back  of  dat  blacksmith's  shop.  I  drive  von 
of  de  vagons  round  dere  to  get  de  mules  shoed.  I'll 
keep  it  dere  ;  no  von  shall  know  I  put  any  one  in  dere  ; 
specially  as  it's  getting  dark.  Good-bye,  Captain. 
Don't  be  ober  un  hour  in  bringing  your  frau  down  ; 
don't  stop  too  long  for  kisses  on  de  way.  Von't  youse 
stop  und  have  anodder  drink  in  Herr  Rosen's  over  dere  ? 
De  finest  beer  in  Washington — Sutlers'  Lager." 

"No,"  I  reply;  "I  haven't  time  for  that ;  though  I 
thank  you  all  the  same."  As  I  clasp  his  hand,  I  am 
thanking  him  for  a  good  deal  more  than  a  glass  of  beer. 
Then  I  ride  away  in  much  more  buoyant  spirits  than  I 
had  come  to  meet  the  genial  German,  who  seems  ut- 
terly unsuspicious  of  anything  but  a  lovers'  escapade. 
I  gallop  for  my  stable,  and  leave  Roderick  there  saddled. 

Taking  a  cab,  I  bolt  for  the  bank  and  draw  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  From  there  I  hurry  to  my  boarding- 
house,  slip  into  a  loose  undress  cavalry  uniform,  arm 
myself  with  sabre  and  revolvers,  and  write  my  holo- 
graph will,  leaving  everything  I  possess  to  my  wife. 
I  hastily  tell  my  landlady  I  am  called  to  Baltimore, 
jump  into  my  cab  and  find  myself  at  Franklin  Square 
in  time.  Here  I  am  met  by  Mrs.  Bream  and  Eve,  both 
ladies  in  waterproofs,  as  heavy  clouds  are  gathering. 

' '  I  came  to  bid  Eva  good-bye  and  see  the  last  of  her. " 
Aunt  Lucy  kisses  her  niece  lovingly  then  whispers 
anxiously;  "You  think  you  can  get  her  through  the 
lines  ? " 

"  Certainly  !  "  I  say  confidently. 

"Very  well,   then;  good-bye." 

There  are  no  onlookers  this  dark  day,  and  Eve  giv- 
ing her  aunt  a  tender  squeeze  and  loving  kiss,  which 
I  supplement,  my  wife  puts  her  hand  upon  my  arm  to 
walk  out  of  the  square  to  the  cab. 

"  Hello  !     Where's  your  valise  ?  "  I  ask. 

"I  haven't  got  any." 

"You  must  take  one." 

"Not  on  this  trip.  I've  travelled  enough  between 
the  lines  to  know  I  can't  make  this  journey  with  bag- 


208  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

gage.  We  would  have  to  leave  my  valise  somewhere  ; 
it  might  be  our  ruin,  if  they  tracked  us. " 

As  Eve  speaks  I  feel  she  knows  her  business  ;  and  all 
through  this  journey  I  find  she  is  much  more  aufait  at 
the  finesse,  the  arts,  the  subterfuges  of  a  contraband  of 
war,  than  I. 

"You  needn't  worry  for  me,"  she  whispers,  "Billy. 
I'm  perfectly  comfortable.  I  have  on  my  riding-habit, 
its  skirts  looped  up  over  my  petticoat.  See !  "  she 
pokes  out  diffidently  an  exquisite  foot  and  ankle,  and  I 
inspecting,  find  that  though  prettily  shod,  she  has  use- 
ful, high-laced,  substantial  boots.  "If  we  have  to 
ride,"  she  goes  on,  "  it  won't  take  me  a  minute  to  pre- 
pare myself  for  horseback. " 

"  What  else  have  you  got  ?" 

"A  six-shooting  Colt's." 

"Any  money  ? " 

"Yes;  dear  Aunt  Lucy  gave  me  fifty  dollars.  She 
wanted  to  press  more  upon  me,  but  I  wouldn't  take 
it" 

By  this  time  I  have  put  Eve  in  the  cab  and  told  the 
hackman  where  to  drive.  We  have  plenty  of  time,  so 
I  don't  hurry  the  fellow  ;  I  want  to  have  all  of  my  wife  s 
company  I  can  get  till  I  part  from  her  and  leave  her — 
God  help  her  ! — to  the  care  of  Lammersdorff  and  fate. 

"Here  are  two  hundred  dollars  more,"  I  whisper. 

"  No,  no  !  " 

"  You  must !  You're  my  wife  :  my  property  is  your 
property.  Here  is  my  will ;  keep  it,  if  anything  should 
happen  to  me." 

"I  didn't  marry  you,  Billy,  for  money  or  property. 
I  married  you  for " 

"Love?" 

"  Yes,  dear.     Take  me  to  Virginia." 

"Well,  the  property  and  money  goes  with  me,"  I 
whisper,  my  heart  beating  fast ;  for  I  have  given  her  a 
kiss  at  her  sweet  words,  and  I  press  the  greenbacks  into 
her  hand.  "  You  must  ! — you  may  need  them.  You 
will  need  them.  I  command  you  to  take  them." 

"O-o-oh!  Yes  Billy,  of  course,  I  promised  to  obey 
you,  didn't  I  ?  "  she  remarks,  and  blushingly  tucks  away 
the  money  under  her  waterproof. 

Then  masculine  curiosity  coming  up  in  me,  I  ask  hur- 
riedly :  "  Tell  me  one  thing.  How  did  you  know  the 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  209 

exact  trip  on  which  the  sergeant  would  carry  that  or- 
der? "  This  is  under  my  breath. 

Her  answer  comes  in  equally  low  tones. 

"We  knew  about  the  time  the  requisition  ought  to 
come  from  the  front.  All  that  afternoon  Quashie 
waited  in  Bermudas's  cigar-store.  It  was  understood, 
when  Arago  went  into  the  place  and  came  out  with  a 
lighted  cigar  in  his  mouth,  Lommox  would  carry  the 
requisition  the  next  time  he  rode  down  G  Street.  Arago 
went  into  the  cigar-store  and  came  out  with  a  lighted 
cigar  a  6  :  40  P.  M.  I  was  in  a  room  near  by  and  Quashie 
and  I  had  just  time  to  get  ready." 

"  You  can  trust  Quashie  ?  " 

"  With  my  life.  He  fondled  me  in  his  arms  when  I 
was  a  little  girl ;  his  wife  was  my  mammee.  You  can 
trust  him  with  your  life,  if  he  knows  you're  my  hus- 
band." 

Significant  words  ;  that  don't  seem  to  me  so  signifi- 
cant as  I  hear  them. 

Then  she  says  suddenly  :  "Tell  me  how  you're  go- 
ing to  get  me  out  of  Washington." 

I  hurriedly  explain  every  detail  to  her. 

"  I  think  you've  found  the  only  way,"  she  murmurs. 
"You  can  trust  Lammersdorff  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  as  long  as  he  thinks  I'm  only  fleeing  from  my 
mother-in-law." 

At  this,  even  in  her  anxiety,  Eve  bursts  out  laugh- 
ing;  then  adds:  "I'll — I'll  prove  your  story  to  the 
sutler,  by  looking  very  timid  and  juvenile,  eh?" 

"What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  ask  astonished. 

Here  to  my  young  husband's  eyes  comes  a  very 
beautiful  display.  Eve  throws  off  her  hat ;  with  a 
few  quick  movements  she  pulls  out  hairpin  after  hair- 
pin, then  shakes  her  head  vivaciously,  and  a  cloud  of 
soft  brown  hair,  in  great  locks  and  tresses,  descends 
from  her  pretty  head  in  cascades  and  waves  far  below 
her  waist.  With  deft  hands  she  ties  a  bow  of  ribbon 
about  her  tresses.  ' '  Now, "  she  laughs,  ' '  I'm  a  school- 
girl, and  sweet  seventeen  ! — and  have  a  stern  mother 
from  whom  I've  run  away  with  an  eloping  trooper." 

"Sixteen,  rather,"  I  laugh.  For  school-girls  dressed 
their  hair  in  that  way  in  those  days,  and  the  perfumed 
locks  that  fall  all  about  Eve's  fair  face  give  her  a  most 
juvenile  expression. 


2IO  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

"So  I  look  young  and  timid  enough  to  be  frightened 
of  my  awful  mamma — eh,  Billy? — and  my  husband 
too,"  she  murmurs. 

For  my  arms  are  around  her.  I  am  squeeezing  the 
pliant  waist  that  seems  to  throb  under  my  hand  and 
kissing  the  exquisite  lips  that  appear  to  return  my 
salutes  very  tenderly. 

We  are  near  the  place  where  we  must  part.  Eve 
throws  both  arms  about  me  and  pleads:  "Be  very 
careful  of  yourself.  Remember  you — you  have  a  wife 
to  look  after,"  and  blushes  very  prettily ;  a  mass  of 
charming  naivete,  bashfulness  and  I  think — love. 

A  moment  after  I  assist  her  from  the  cab,  pay  the 
driver  and  he  disappears  in  the  gloom,  for  the  day 
is  now  growing  very  dark  ;  a  few  rain-drops  are  com- 
ing down. 

We  are  a  short  square  from  the  sutler's  camp,  and 
soon  stand  beside  his  big,  white-covered  wagon,  drawn 
by  four  mules.  Inspecting  this,  I  notice  that  it  is  well- 
springed  and  will  travel  easily. 

"Lammersdorff,  let  me  introduce  you  to  Mrs.  Hamil- 
ton," I  say  to  the  German  sutler,  who  is  waiting  for 
us. 

"Ha  Ya  !  running  away  from  mudder,  eh?  Veil, 
mein  liddle  frau  I'll  take  care  she  don't  catches  you." 

"Yes — please — please,  Herr  Lammersdorff,  keep 
mamma  from  seeing  me,"  falters  Eve  in  pretended 
terror.  "  She — she  might  spank  me  !  " 

"Mein  Himmel,  your  mudder  must  be  a  tough  old 
woman  !  "  laughs  the  sutler.  "  But  I've  got  eberyting 
very  commonfortable  now  in  ze  back  of  ze  vagoon  ; 
jush  step  in  kevick." 

With  a  hurried  caress  I  lift  Eve  in,  and  she  looking 
out  says:  "Thank  you,  Herr  Lammersdorff;  you've 
made  everything  very  nice  for  me. 

"The  heavy  covering  of  the  wagon  will  keep  the 
rain  and  wind  from  you,"  I  whisper  to  her  ;  "I  shall 
overtake  you  on  the  road  in  about  two  hours."  Then 
I  wring  Lammersdorffs  hand  and  question:  "Your 
men  don't  know  of  this  ?  " 

"Only  the  driver  of  dis  team,  that  is,  mein  head  man 
Fritz,  and  he's  confidential.  I  has  to  let  him  know. 
See?" 

It  is  beginning  to  rain  very  heavily,  so  I  change  my 


BILLY   HAMILTOK.  911 

plan  somewhat.      "I  don't  want  my  wife  exposed  to 
such  a  storm  as  this  will  be,  Lammersdorff, "  I  say. 

"Ya,  it  vill  be  a  scrouger  !  But  your  liddle  frau 
vil!  be  as  cosy  in  dat  vagoon  as  if  she  was  on  her 
liddle  bed !  " 

"I  understand  that,"  I  answer,  "  and  for  that  reason 
shall  let  her  go  as  far  as  Port  Tobacco  with  you.  From 
there — to-morrow  morning — it  may  be  fine  then — I'll 
drive  her  back  to  the  railroad.  I  can  hire  a  buggy 
there  ?  " 

"Sure!  Dere's  a  hotel  der  also,"  he  says  with  a 
grin,  "but  de  Brawner  House  is  not  demost  common- 
for-table  for  a  veddin'  tour — mid  a  bride." 

"All  right.  That's  settled,"  I  remark  and  putting 
my  head  under  the  covering  of  the  wagon,  I  hastily 
explain  the  change  to  Eve,  saying  :  "  Don't  expect  me 
before  Port  Tobacco  ;  that  will  give  me  a  chance  to 
make  a  longer  de'tour,  to  throw  any  one  off  my  track 
before  I  join  you  !  " 

"Very  well,  Billy,"  whispers  Eve,  "though  if  any 
danger  comes,  I  have  an  idea  it  will  be  soon  after  I 
leave  Washington." 

"  Pish,  nonsense  !  Arago's  busy  in  the  Quarter-mas- 
ter General's  office.  He  can't  suspect.  Good  bye  !  " 

Then  two  sweet,  clinging  lips  meet  mine  and, — "Be 
very  careful,  Billy,"  is  whispered  to  me. 

I  stride  off  into  the  gloomy  day.  In  a  few  minutes 
I  am  at  my  livery  stable  and  mounting  Roderick  whom 
I  have  prepared  for  this  journey,  I  ride  back  towards 
the  sutler's  camp.  I  must  see  she  gets  out  of  Wash- 
ington safe. 

Overtaking  Lammersdorffs  wagons  just  as  they 
reach  Union  Bridge,  with  my  heart  in  my  mouth  I 
watch  them  cross.  They  are  scarce  questioned  by 
the  guard. 

In  the  rain  I  stand  and  gaze  till  the  last  wagon  has 
crossed  the  Eastern  Branch,  then  give  a  sigh  of  relief. 
My  bride  has  at  least  escaped  from  Washington. 


212  BILLY   HAMILTON. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

DEAD    MEN   TELL    NO   TALES. 

CHIRPING  cheerily  to  my  gallant  horse,  I  turn  from 
Union  Bridge,  the  most  direct  route  to  Port  Tobacco, 
to  pass  through  the  city  and  make  my  exit  by  another 
outlet.  That  will  perhaps  delay  pursuit  if  we  are  fol- 
lowed. 

As  I  ride  through  the  streets,  a  jeweller's  shop 
catches  my  eye. 

"  By  George  !  "  I  think,  "  my  poor  bride  never  had  an 
engagement  ring."  I  dismount,  and  a  few  minutes 
after  straddle  Roderick  again  with  a  glittering  bauble 
in  my  pocket. 

Then,  coming  out  of  the  city  to  the  north  on  the 
Bladensburg  pike,  I  shortly  get  past  the  circle  of  outly- 
ing forts. 

I  keep  along  this  road  as  far  as  the  little  town  of 
Bladensburg  before  I  change  my  direction  ;  then  I 
turn  Roderick's  head  towards  the  southeast. 

Journeying  through  country  roads,  and  gradually 
circling  more  and  to  the  south,  I  strike  the  main  pike 
to  Port  Tobacco,  near  Piscataway. 

I  have  been  delayed  at  the  jeweller's  so  long  and  have 
made  so  extended  a  de'tour,  that  I  know  my  wife  must 
be  many  miles  ahead  of  me,  for,  like  a  careful  cam- 
paigner I  have  not  pressed  my  charger. 

Meeting,  soon  after  this,  a  couple  of  negroes  on  the 
road  I  learn  that  four  sutler's  wagons  have  passed  this 
point  nearly  two  hours  ago  and  a  single  buggy  some- 
thing over  an  hour  after  them. 

But  I  don't  give  much  thought  to  this  buggy.  I  am 
only  anxious  about  the  vehicle  that  carries  my  bride. 

The  rain  is  falling  ;  the  roads  are  getting  heavy.  I 
ride  on,  gloomily  pondering  upon  what  may  come  to 
me  and  her,  in  this  debatable  land  that  is  before  us. 

Southeast  of  Washington  are  four  fertile  counties 
running  from  the  capital  to  Point  Lookout,  bounded 

on  the  west  and,  south  by  the  Potomac  on  the  east  by 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  2IJ 

the  Chesapeake  Bay,  no  towns  in  them  of  more  than  a 
few  hundred  inhabitants  ;  they  are  called  the  Western 
shore  of  Maryland. 

It  is  towards  this  land  my  face  is  turned.  I  know  a 
good  portion  of  the  country  is  covered  with  swamps, 
for  as  a  boy  I  have  hunted  over  it.  I  am  aware  the 
land  has  been  ruined  by  tobacco-planting,  my  family 
has  owned  some  of  it  from  the  clays  of  Lord  Balti- 
more. I  am  sure  most  of  the  inhabitants  are  Catho- 
lics, that  nearly  all  of  them  are  Rebels,  that  a  good 
portion  of  its  population  are  of  comparatively  lit- 
tle education  though  acute  intelligence  ;  that  a  great 
many  of  them,  especially  at  Port  Tobacco,  had  been 
engaged  before  the  war  in  kidnapping  and  running 
negro-slaves  across  the  Potomac.  But  I  know  they 
are  all  a  hardy,  sturdy  crew,  and  nine-tenths  of  them 
would  be  willing  to  risk  even  their  lives  to  give  safety 
to  a  Confederate  spy. 

At  this  thought  my  spirits  rise.  Eve  is  approaching  a 
land  of  which  the  inhabitants  are  the  friends,  not  the 
enemies  of  her  cause.  Though  the  country  is  overrun 
with  Baker's  Secret  Service  detectives,  and  the  river 
between  us  and  Virginia  is  patrolled  day  and  night  by 
armed  barges,  and  sometimes  by  small  gunboats ; 
though  even  across  the  Potomac,  judging  by  the  move- 
ments of  the  Federal  armies,  will  be  the  Union  lines, 
not  the  Rebel  outposts  ;  which  we  can  only  hope  to 
reach  beyond  the  Rappahannock — I  am  commencing 
to  have  hope. 

So,  through  Maryland  mud  Roderick  plods,  the 
rain  falling  on  me.  But  I  am  well  wrapped  up,  wearing 
a  heavy  army  coat,  and  being  accustomed  to  campaig- 
ning, I  think  little  of  it  for  myself.  My  whole  concern 
is  for  my  wife ;  she  may  be  exposed  to  the  storm 
that  is  gradually  gathering  ;  still  the  sutler's  wagon 
will  give  her  some  protection.  I  light  one  of  my 
Bouquets  Esptciales  and  smoke  quite  contentedly. 

About  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  some  miles  this 
side  of  Port  Tobacco,  I  overtake  the  four  white-coated 
suiter's  wagons  and  raise  a  shout  of  joyous  greeting. 

It  is  answered  by  a  white-faced,  savage-eyed  German, 
who  comes  dashing  towards  me.  "  Gott  in  Himmel, 
Capt'n  Hamilton,  I  didn't  egspect  such  treatment  from 
youse  !  "  cries  Lammersdorff. 


214  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  What  treatment  ?" 

"Putting  a  government  spy  in  mem  vagoons  to  get 
her  out  of  Vashington.  O  giminy  crackies,  I  loses 
mein  sutler's  certification  for  dis  !  " 

"  A  government  spy  ?  Nonsense  !  A  girl  escaping 
from  her  mother.  Where  is  she  ?  " 

"  Dey  have  taken  her  away  mit  demselves. " 

"Taken  her  away ?     Where?     How?     Tell  me  !" 

"  Oh  veil,  I  tells  you  quicker  den  you  likes  to  hear 
it.  I  tells  you  all  about  it  at  court-martial,  ven  dey 
puts  de  ball  and  chain  on  me  and  takes  avay  my  posi- 
tion as  sutler  mid  Sumner's  grand  army  corps." 

"  Damn  Sumner's  grand  army  corps  !  Tell  we  where 
is  she  !  Quick  !  "  I  cry,  half  crazy  with  apprehension. 

"Veil,  shust  about  a  mile  off  here,  up  comes  a  man 
riding  a  buggy.  He  says  :  '  I  vant  dot  girl  hiding  in 
your  rear  behind  vagoon.' 

"  'Vat  girl?  "  says  I. 

"  '  A  Rebel  spy,"  shouts  he. 

' '  'You're  a  liar  !  "  cries  I.  '  Datis  ausgespielt !  She's 
de  wife  of  mein  friend  Captain  Hamilton  of  the  United 
States  cavalry." 

"At  dis  he  gives  a  shriek  of  rage  and  despair,  and 
yells:  'You  damned  disloyal  cub  of  a  German,  sneak- 
ing out  under  sutler's  privileges  contrabands  of  war, 
look  at  me  ! '  He  shows  me  Baker's  Secret  Service  and 
a  United  States  deputy-marshal's  badge,  and  I  faints 
almost — I  knows  I  am  sutler  mid  Sumner  no  more  !  " 

"  Bring  her  out,  Dutchy  !  "  he  cries. 

"  But  I  doesn't  have  to  bring  dot  gal  oout ;  for  at  his 
words  she  jumps  from  de  vagoon,  cool  as  an  ice-house 
and  lebels  a  revolver  straight  for  de  Secret  Service 
man's  heart,  which  has  jumped  from  his  buggy.  '  You 
dastard,  die  mit  yourself ! '  she  cries,  and  she'd  have 
plumped  him  sure  as  Forth  of  July  isn't  New  Year's. 
"But  knowing  I  vas  fighting  for  my  sutler's  comish, 
I  knocks  up  her  arm  ;  de  bullet  goes  mid  de  air,  und 
before  she  has  time  to  do  anyd'ings  more,  de  Secret 
Service  man  jumps  at  her  and  claps  a  pair  of  handcuffs 
on  her  lekdle  white  wrists,  and  pops  her  into  his  buggy, 
und  says  :  '  I  arrest  you  in  de  name  of  the  United 
States,'  and  drives  avay  mid  her.  She  doesn't  scream  ; 
she  only  gave  one  little  gasp  :  '  Billy  ! ' 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  she's  de  girl  vat  might  have  been  spanked 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  215 

by  her  mudder,  she  is  !  She's  de  girl  vat  vas  afraid  of 
her  mumma,  she  is  !  She  vas  as  brave  as  George 
Vashington  himself  ven  he  cut  down  de  cherry  tree," 
the  German  mutters  derisively  ;  then  shrieks  out:  "But 
God  help  Lammersdorff !  Dat's  vat  I  am  crying  ! 
God  help  Lammersdorff  vat  has  secreted  a  Rebel 
spy  !  " 

"  God  help  me!"  I  moan.  Then  I  whisper  to  him  : 
'*  Keep  a  close  mouth  about  this  thing.  She's  not  a 
Rebel  spy  ;  she's  my  wife.  That  villain  is  the  emissary 
of  her  mother,  though  he  is  a  Secret  Service  man.  I 
know  this  Arago. " 

"  Oh,  you  knows  his  cursed  name  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  know  his  damned  heart.  Which  way  did 
he  go  ? " 

"Ahead  of  us,  mid  de  buggy,  to  wards  Port  Tobacco." 

"  How  far  is  he  in  advance  ? " 

"About  a  mile  or  two." 

"Then  keep  your  mouth  shut!"  And  driving  the 
rowels  into  Roderick,  I  dash  through  the  mud  and 
storm. 

As  I  ride,  I  think  Arago  has  doubtless  watched  Eve, 
seen  her  with  her  aunt  join  me,  observed  us  take  the 
cab,  and  noticed  her  get  into  the  sutler's  wagon.  We 
didn't  think — I  didn't  think — of  being  tracked  at  the 
very  outset.  Then  he  has  come  after  her,  hoping  to 
frighten  Eve  into  listening  to  his  suit.  And,  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  the  foolish  sutler,  would  have  got  his  quietus 
from  the  brave  girl.  But  now  Arago  has  her  manacled. 
As  I  think  of  the  irons  on  my  wife's  white  wrists  I  dash 
the  spurs  into  my  steed. 

Fortunately  I  know  this  part  of  the  country  pretty 
well.  I  have  shot  over  it,  and  a  boy's  recollections 
are  generally  vivid.  Besides,  I  have  a  horse  that  in 
this  mud  will  overtake  any  buggy  that  ever  wheeled. 

But  I  must  be  sure  of  Arago's  course.  He  will  hardly 
go  through  Port  Tobacco  ;  still  he  may  not  think  that  I 
am  following  at  all ;  my  long  detour  must  have  given 
him  confidence.  Perhaps  he  believes  I  am  yet  in 
Washington  ;  if  so,  my  task  will  be  easier. 

Three  or  four  sutler's  wagons  are  ahead  of  me  ;  these 
I  overtake.  To  my  hurried  questions  one  of  their 
drivers  replies  :  "  Yes,  a  buggy  passed  him  five  minutes 
before."  Another  half-drunken  one  jeers  :  "Hurry  up, 


i\S  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Cap,  and  you'll  catch  your  gal,  I  heard  her  squeal  as 
she  went  by  me  !  " 

By  this  I  know  Arago  must  have  gone  to  Port  To- 
bacco ;  there  are  no  side-roads  from  this  point  on. 
Made  desperate  by  the  teamster's  last  remark,  I  put  the 
steel  into  Roderick. 

Into  the  miserable  little  town  I  gallop, 'mid  numerous 
sutler's  teams  and  provision  wagons,  on  their  way  to 
be  ferried  across  the  Potomac  to  Aquia  Creek  and 
Burnside. 

Dashing  up  to  the  Brawner  House,  without  dismount- 
ing, I  call  to  the  proprietor,  who  comes  upon  the  por- 
tico in  his  shirt-sleeves  to  greet  me.  "Get  me  a  drink, 
quick  1 "  I  order. 

Over  his  bad  whiskey  I  pump  him.  A  buggy  has 
gone  through  the  town  four  minutes  ago  ;  it  went  north 
towards  Baltimore,  though  it  may  have  turned  off  to- 
wards Allan's  Fresh. 

"Damn  the  scoundrel !  he  didn't  stop  here  even  for 
a  drink,"  remarks  the  hotel  proprietor.  "But  he  will 
have  a  lively  time  getting,  anywhere  in  the  mud  to- 
night." 

"Was  any  one  with  him  ?"  I  ask  eagerly. 

"  How  could  I  know,  stranger  ?  His  buggy-top  war 
up,  his  apron  war  raised,  too.  'Taint  likely  it  would  be 
down  in  this  ar  storm  ! " 

"  Did  you  hear  any  voices?"  I  mutter. 

"Well,  I  thought  I  heerd  a  woman's,  but  what  she 
wara-saying  I  couldn't  tell.  Seemed  to  me  it  was  kind 
of  plaintive-like. " 

This  urges  me  on.      "Good-bye,"  I  cry. 

"Aren't  ye're  a-gowin'  to  stay  to-night?" 

"  Can't !  "  I  dash  the  spurs  into  Roderick.  The  hotel 
man  turns  away,  and  I  think  I  hear  him  mutter : 
"  Some  damned  Secret  Service  galoot." 

As  I  plunge  on  in  the  mud,  I  inspect  my  revolvers. 
The  holsters  have  kept  them  dry.  but  to  be  oure  I  care- 
fully re-cap  them  both  and  put  a  little  powder  into 
each  nipple  of  the  six-shooting  dragoon  pistols.  Good 
Lord  I  I  dare  not  fire  at  Arago,  with  my  wife  beside 
him  in  the  buggy !  As  this  strikes  me,  I  loosen  my 
sabre  in  its  scabbard ;  it  is  ground  to  a  razor-blade, 
like  those  of  the  rest  of  my  regiment,  for  this  had  now 
come  to  be  a  fashion  in  our  cavalry.  The  blade  has 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  2IJ 

done  me  true  service  on  the  battle-field  ;  may  it  not 
do  me  equal  good  in  private  rencontre? 

"  Besides  " — I  am  talking  to  myself  now,  I  am  so  ex- 
cited—  "it  is  my  duty  to  arrest  the  fellow.  Hang  it !  " 
I  chuckle,  "he's  a  greater  traitor  than  I!  It  is  my 
duty  to  kill  him  !  "  With  this,  into  my  heart  comes 
that  awful  maxim  :  "Dead  men  tell  no  tales."  Dead — 
that  will  be  her  safety— that  will  be  my  safety  !  A 
dead  traitor  is  the  glory  of  a  loyal  provost-marshal." 

All  this  time  Roderick  plunges  along  the  miserable, 
rutty,  muddy,  unkept  road.  Suddenly  a  problem 
meets  me,  which  must  be  decided  on  the  instant. 
Did  Arago  turn  off  to  go  to  Allan's  Fresh,  or  did  he 
skirt  the  great  swamps  drained  by  that  stream,  and 
keep  the  pike  towards  the  Baltimore  and  Washington 
railway.  I  am  at  thejunction  of  the  two  roads. 

I  spring  to  the  ground.  The  rain  blinds  me ;  the 
darkness  defeats  me  :  I  cannot  see  his  buggy  tracks. 
Suddenly  a  dazzling  flash  of  lightning  illuminates  all  ; 
the  rickety  Virginia  rail  fence,  the  low,  stunted,  swamp 
foliage  ,  thejunction  of  the  two  roads. 

By  its  light,  thank  God  !  I  see  the  plain  marks  of  buggy 
wheels  going  north — towards  the  railroad — towards 
Baltimore  or  Washington,  whichever  way  Arago 
chooses  to  travel.  No  doubt  now!  There  are  five 
miles  in  which  he  can't  leave  this  road,  and  I  will 
have  my  prey  before  the  end  of  it. 

I  use  my  spurs  again,  and  Roderick,  answering  me, 
shows  he  is  a  good  mud  horse  by  getting  over  this 
infernal  road  at  tremendous  pace.  I  speak  to  him,  I 
urge  him  on  :  "Good  steed,"  1  whisper,  "you  are  rac- 
ing for  my  love's  safety. " 

Isn't  there  a  noise  in  front  of  me  ?  By  heaven  ! 
— the  sound  of  wheels  and  a  man  lashing  a  horse.  He 
knows  he  is  pursued  now. 

Another  flash  of  lightning.  By  it  I  see  a  top-buggy 
but  thirty  yards  ahead  of  me. 

A  moment  later  I  am  by  its  side.  "Surrender,  you 
dog !  I  arrest  you, "  I  cry. 

To  me  comes  Eve's  sweet  voice  warning  me  "Look 
out,  Billy  ;  he  is  going  to  shoot  1 " 

In  proof  of  her  words  Arago  answers  only  by  a  pis- 
tol-shot that,  in  the  darkness,  goes  wide  of  me.  This 
fire  I  dare  not  return,  for  my  wife  is  by  his  side. 


H8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Jump  out,  Eve,  spring  from  the  buggy,  so  I  dare 
shoot  him,"  I  shout. 

Again  comes  Arago's  pistol-shot.  His  bullet  whistles 
close  over  my  head. 

"Hang  you,  don't  knock  up  my  pistol  again!  "  I 
hear  him  cry  to  Eve. 

No  more  chances  will  I  take.  In  this  game  Arago  has 
the  advantage  of  me,  so  I  put  a  heavy  Colt's  dragoon 
bullet  through  his  horse,  and  the  poor  creature  falling 
down  in  the  mud,  leaves  my  enemy  stalled  in  the  road 
— compelled  to  fight  it  out  with  me. 

And  on  fair  terms  too.  For  with  a  sudden  deft  move* 
ment,  as  the  horse  has  fallen  prostrate,  Eve,  manacled 
as  she  is,  has  jumped  from  the  buggy. 

Arago  has  sprung  after  her,  for  he  would  have  been 
at  my  mercy  alone  in  the  wagon.  So,  I  leaping  from 
my  horse  in  pursuit  of  him,  we  meet  together  in  equal 
combat ;  the  girl  standing  in  the  darkness  with  man- 
acled hands,  gazing  on  the  battle  for  her  safety — ay, 
even  for  her  life,  — for  I  know  this  accursed  brute  will 
sacrifice  her  in  some  way  by  his  subtle  arts — because 
she  can't  marry  him — because  she  is  my  wife. 

But,  thank  God,  I  have  a  gallant  adversary.  The 
Creole,  turns  upon  me.  "Captain  Hamilton,  sur- 
render !"  he  cries.  "  I  believe  you  to  be  a  traitor." 

"Iknowjyou  are!"  I  answer  grimly.  "Your  pon- 
toon treachery  has  been  found  out.  Stanton  has  sent 
me  to  catch  and  hang  you  !  "  For  I  want  to  make  the 
scoundrel  so  desperate  that,  like  the  trapped  fox,  he  will 
fight  me  until  I  kill  him. 

With  a  snarl  of  rage,  Arago  flies  at  me.  Our  sabres 
cross,  for  he  is  armed  like  me.  As  our  blades  meet,  I 
know  a  swordman's  steel  is  crossing  mine. 

So  we  battle,  fitful  flashes  of  lightning  almost  daz- 
zling our  eyes.  Then  the  gloom  coming  on  us,  we  en- 
gage from  feel  of  blade,  as  masters  of  the  weapon 
fight. 

But  at  each  cut  and  guard,  each  lunge  and  parry,  I 
grow  confident.  Arago  has  more  the  art  of  the  rapier 
in  his  wrist  than  of  the  broadsword.  Beside,  my 
muscles,  toughened  by  actual  battle  and  campaign, 
will  last  longer  than  the  Creole's,  made  effete  by  dainty 
suppers  and  faro  table  exercise  and  playing  dandy 
mid  Washington's  fair  ladies.  He  knows  it  too,  for  hia 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  219 

attack  becomes  desperate.  He  feels  he  must  end  the 
contest  quickly,  or  it  will  end  against  him. 

But  I,  growing  cooler  with  each  pass  and  my  West 
Point  training  coming  to  me,  parry,  and  parry,  and 
guard  and  guard,  with  just  enough  of  feint  and  riposte 
to  weary  his  sword  arm. 

As  I  grow  cooler,  he  grows  despairing.  My  God, 
I  fear  he'll  surrender  before  I  kill  him  1 

"  Dead  men  tell  no  tales,"  is  in  my  heart.  <f  Dead 
men  tell  no  tales,"  is  in  my  arm. 

The  lightning  flashes.  Growing  desperate  now,  he 
is  making  play  with  blade,  not  giving  point,  and  at 
that  I  have  him.  As  he  gives  full  front  cut,  I  turn 
it  off  quickly,  by  a  firm  high  guard,  disengage  my  sabre 
and  giving  point  en  carte,  put  it  through  as  black  a 
heart  as  ever  beat — straight,  strong,  full  to  the  hilt — and 
draw  it  out  with  a  twist,  because  the  lightning  shows  me 
white  wrists  that  I  love,  her  wrists,  with  his  accursed 
manacles  upon  them.  • 

And  my  bride  looking  at  this  dead  thing  murmurs, 
"  It  was  dancing  with  me  at  this  time  last  night,"  then 
shudders  :  "  O  Billy  this  is  a  ghastly  wedding-day  of 
ours  ! "  and  sinks  down  hi  the  mud,  wringing  her 
shackled  hands. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

» 

A   NIGHT   AT   PORT  TOBACCO, 

BUT  my  bride  must  be  free  at  once. 

Scarce  waiting  for  his  dying  quivers,  I  hurriedly 
search  with  my  hand  the  dead  man's  clothes  and  find 
the  key  of  the  little  handcuffs  that  hold  the  dainty 
wrists.  As  I  release  the  delicate  hands,  I  kiss  and  caress 
them,  and  with  a  vicious  fling  throw  the  bands  of  steel 
over  the  fence  into  the  swamp,  cursing  the  dead  man's 
indignity  to  this  creature  that  I  love — that  now  I  must 
protect. 

"Yes,  they  were  pretty  little  bracelets,  weren't  they, 
Billy?"  she  sneers.  "Mr.  Arago  was  kind  enough  to 
inform  me  he  had  had  them  made  for  me." 

"What  else  did  he  tell  you  ?  "  I  whisper  savagely. 

"That  if  I  did  not  marry  him  this  very  night,  he'd 


220  BILLY    HAMILTON.  ' 

have  me  in  the   Old  Capitol  Prison  to-morrow  mom" 
ing." 

"And  then?" 

"I  showed  him  my  wedding  ring,  and  it  seemea  to 
drive  him  half-crazy  ;  for  he  swore  he'd  have  you  pun- 
ished as  a  traitor  also,  for  concealing  my  identity  from 
Baker's  Secret  Service." 

"And  after  that?" 

"He  tried  to  work  upon  my  fears  for  you.  Arago 
said  :  'You  were  only  married  this  morning;  forget  the 
ring  upon  your  finger.  The  vows  you  made  this  morn- 
ing are  but  an  empty  form.'  He  promised  to  spare 
you,  my  husband,  if  I  would  get  divorced  from  you 
and  marry  him.  Arago  said  you  would  not  dare  con- 
test, because  he  had  your  life  as  he  had  mine  within 
his  grip.  He  treated  us  as  if  we  were  both  cowards, 
Billy.  But  I  struck  him  in  his  cruel  face  with  my 
manacled  hands,  and  you  ran  your  sword  through  his 
treacherous  heart,  and — our  enemy  is  gone."  By  the 
lightning  I  see  Eve  shudder,  as  she  gazes  on  the  recum- 
bent form.  Then  she  asks  eagerly  :  "And  now  what 
are  you  going  to  do  ? " 

While  she  has  been  talking  I  have  hurriedly  but 
effectively  searched  the  clothes  of  my  dead  adver- 
sary, taking  from  them  a  bulky  pocket-book,  a  purse 
full  of  money,  some  knick-knacks  and  a  case  of  his 
beloved  Bouquets  Especiales. 

I  toss  his  cigars  away,  Init  light  philosophically 
one  of  my  own,  and  place  the  rest  of  my  plunder  in 
Arago's  overcoat,  which  I  take  from  him,  together 
with  his  United  States  Deputy  Marshal's  badge.  In 
the  buggy  I  discover  nothing  except  Arago's  pistols. 
Turning  to  Eve,  I  would  place  the  overcoat  upon 
her. 

But  she  falters:  "No — no!  not  the  dead  man's 
coat ! " 

"Then  I'll  don  it  myself."  This  I  do;  putting  my 
army  overcoat  on  the  fair  form  that  is  standing  in  the 
unceasing  rain. 

"  And  now  ?  "  she  questions. 

"Nowl"  I  pick  up  Arago's  body  and  throw  it 
over  the  fence  into  a  dense  growth  of  dogwood  and 
alder.  "If  they  find  it,"  I  remark  grimly,  "it  won't 
amount  to  much.  Dead  men,  in  this  debatable 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  22 1 

Western  shore  of  Maryland,  are  common  enough  at 
present." 

Here  the  girl,  who  has  apparently  recovered  her- 
self entirely,  says  sharply:  "Give  me  one  of  his  re- 
volvers. He  took  mine  from  me  and  threw  it  away 
If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  foolish  German,  there  would 
have  been  no  need  of  your  killing  him,  Billy.  But 
we  must  be  moving,"  she  exclaims ;  then  queries 
eagerly:  "You  think  Roderick,  if  we  harnessed  him, 
would  draw  that  buggy  ? " 

"No;  but  he  will  carry  you" 

"Of  course  he  will — the  lovely  fellow!"  and  the 
girl  goes  to  my  charger,  who,  being  well  trained,  has 
hardly  moved  from  his  position  in  the  road,  puts 
her  arms  round  his  neck  and  pets  him,  while  I  shorten 
one  stirrup  and  sling  the  other  one  upon  the  pommel 
of  the  saddle. 

"Can  you  ride  that  way,  darling?"!  ask. 

"I  can  ride  any  way;  bareback,  if  necessary,'* 
returns  Eve  confidently,  "like  a  boy  if  you  want.  I 
did  it  when  I  was  a  little  girl  in  Virginia.  But  to-night 
your  McClellan  tree  there  will  do  well  enough  for  my 
side-saddle." 

She  has  turned  from  me,  and  with  one  or  two  deft 
movements  let  down  the  skirt  of  her  riding-habit. 

"Now,"  she  says,  putting  her  little  foot  in  my  hand. 
Then  I  swing  her  to  the  saddle. 

"Are  you  comfortable?" 

"Yes.  But  you — you  will  have  to  walk,  my  poor, 
dismounted  trooper." 

"What  do  I  care,  as  long  as_you  are  by  my  side? " 

"Well,  you  can't  trudge  very  far  in  this  storm." 

"Do  you  know  the  country?  "  I  ask  anxiously. 

"Pretty  well!  We've  got  to  go  back  to  Port  To- 
bacco. Were  you  mounted,  we  might  try  Allan's 
Fresh — a  disreputable  little  hole,  but  I  have  friends 
there.  To-morrow  you  must  take  me  there,"  she 
whispers,  as  I  tramp  along  through  the  mud  and  rain 
by  her  side.  "  We  must  leave  early  in  the  morning." 

"Yes,"  I  answer.  "If  Arago  hadn't  leave  of  ab- 
sence the  Secret  Service  will  be  looking  for  him.  His 
disappearance  from  Washington  will  be  noted ;  on  his 
failure  to  return  they  will  suspect  him  of  the  pontoon 
business ;  they  will  think  he  has  fled. 


222  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"  Arago  did  that  work  very  well,"  she  says  pensively. 

"Yes,  lured  by  your  beauty,"  I  mutter  savagely; 
for,  with  man's  inconsistency,  I  am  angry  at  the  effect 
of  my  wife's  supreme  loveliness,  though  I  would  not 
have  her  lose  a  tittle  of  it  for  all  the  world. 

"And,  perhaps,  my  coquetry,"  she  returns  sadly, 
then  breaks  out :  "But,  no  ;  I  don't  repent.  If  he  had 
not  loved  me,  he  might  not  have  dared.  In  this  storm 
the  pontoons  will  never  get  to  Burnside  in  time."  And 
she  would  go  on  in  her  cursed  Rebel  style,  that  makes 
me  furious,  for  it  brings  my  treachery  home  to  me. 

"  I  forbid  you  to  talk  in  that  way !  "  I  say  sternly. 

"Oho,  a  husband's  commands  !  " 

"Yes  ;  you  must  remember  you  are  the  wife  of  a 
Union  officer," 

' '  I  have  never  forgotten  that,  Billy,  and  I  never 
will." 

Then  I  almost  curse  myself  for  the  words;  for  Eve, 
who  had  been  loving  to  me  before,  now  seems  to  grow 
colder.  But  the  girl  throws  this  off  after  a  little,  and 
goes  to  discussing  hurriedly  with  me  the  arrangements 
we  must  make  early  in  the  morning  to  transfer  her 
across  the  Potomac  into  Virginia.  In  this  she  shows 
herself  much  more  an  adept  than  I.  She  seems  to 
know  those  who  can  be  trusted  in  this  part  of  the 
country.  "If  we  can  find  Wat  Bowie,"  she  remarks, 
"  he  will  surely  get  me  across  the  Potomac. " 

"And  me  across  the  Potomac,  also." 

"Yes.  of  coui  se,  you  are  going  with  me  ?  "  There  is 
a  lurking  joy  in  her  voice.  '  Aren't  you,  Billy?" 

"Certainly,  until  I  put  you  beyond  the  reach  of  con- 
tending armies,  until  I  see  you  safe  among  your  friends, 
my  wife."  I  whisper  determinedly  to  Eve  as  we 
tramp  into  the  muddy  street  of  Port  Tobacco. 

This  seems  to  make  her  very  tender  to  me.  She 
murmurs  :  "Take  me  to  Virginia  !  I  can  protect  you 
in  the  Confederate  lines.  I  know  that,  or  I'd  go  back 
to  Stanton's  mercy  rather  than  let  you  pass  beyond 
this  State."  With  her  words,  she  suddenly  leans  down 
from  her  saddle  and  puts  two  dripping  arms  around 
my  neck,  faltering:  "What  an  ungrateful  wretch  you 
must  think  me,  Billy." 

In  her  tones  there  is  love,  there  is  even  reproach 
unto  herself ;  but  they  make  my  heart  ache.  They 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  223 

show  me  my  bride  has  not  forgotten  my  accursed  oath  ; 
they  indicate  that  my  wife  will  hold  me  to  it,  when 
I  had  thought,  with  Arago  dead,  she  might  forego  it. 

But  I  haven't  time  to  dwell  on  this.  Even  as  I  lift 
her  from  Roderick's  back  in  front  of  the  Brawner 
House,  new  and  embarrassing  complications  come 
upon  us. 

The  hotel-keeper,  stepping  out,  says  cheerfully : 
"I  thought  you'd  be  back,  Cap,"  then  pauses,  as- 
tonished, and  whispers  :  "You've  got  the  gal,  but  where 
did  you  leave  him  f  " 

Suddenly  the  query  seems  to  choke  in  his  throat,  as 
Eve,  lifting  the  hood  from  her  lips,  whispers  a  few 
words  into  his  whiskey-scented  face. 

"  By  Dixie,"  he  gasps  in  astonishment — then  mutters 
anxiously,  "Kin  he  be  trusted?"  looking  uneasily  at 
me. 

"Certainly  1     He  is  my  husband." 

"Then  I  want  to  warn  you  both,  there  are  two 
Union  deputies  inside — Baker's  Secret  Service  men  : 
Joe  Shook  and  Rod  Gibbon."  This  last  is  very  much 
under  his  breath. 

These  words  carry  concern  to  me.  Shook  and  Gib- 
bon, the  detectives  who  had  spoken  to  me  about  the 
girl  Stanton  wanted !  Eve  is  wearing  the  same  gray 
riding-habit  in  which  they  saw  her  at  Frederick.  This 
is  in  plain  view  for  she  has  already  thrown  off  my 
rain-soaked  overcoat  and  her  dripping  waterproof. 
What  interrogations  to  me — what  complications  to  her 
— may  this  not  produce  ? 

I  hurriedly  whisper  to  her:  "Be  careful.  Those 
are  the  two  men  who  followed  you  that  night  on  the 
Potomac — the  night  I  arrested  you.  They  saw  me  lift 
you  from  your  horse  in  front  of  the  hotel  at  Fred- 
erick. If  they  recognize  you,  or  think  they  do,  keep 
your  wits." 

But  her  words  reassure  me.  She  laughs  :  "Oh,  I've 
been  in  more  difficult  places  than  this  before."  Then 
suddenly  stepping  into  the  lighted  hotel  hall,  she  cries 
loud  enough  for  Shook  and  Gibbon,  who  are  there,  to 
hear:  "Come  along,  Billy.  Thank  goodness,  we're 
out  of  the  storm." 

At  my  entrance,  the  two  detectives  springing  up,  say 
cordially  :  "  Hello,  Captain  Hamilton  I"  Then  Shook, 


224  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

placing  his  eyes  upon  Eve's  beautiful  face,  chuckles: 
"  Crackey  !  Who's  yer  gal  ? " 

"My  wife,  of  course,"  I  answer.  "I  brought  hef 
down  with  me  as  I  have  to  look  after  some  sutlers, 
in  whose  business  I  have  an  interest.  We  expected  to 
drive  back  to  Washington  to-night" 

"  That's  a  good  long  jaunt  !  " 

"  Only  thirty  miles,  but  too  much  in  this  weather. 
Eve,"  I  call  to  me  my  bride,  who  is  lingering  a  little 
bashfully  in  the  background.  And  she  coming  to  me, 
I  say  :  "  Mrs.  Hamilton,  let  me  present  to  you  Joe 
Shook  and  Rod  Gibbon,  who  hunted  secesh  with  me 
when  I  was  Provost  Marshal." 

"Pleased  to  know  ye,  missus!"  remarks  Rod, 
and  then  goes  on  in  hayseed  humor:  "Ye  know  at 
fust  I  kinder  reckoned  the  Cap  was  taking  an  outing 
with " 

"No  one  else,  sir,  I  hope,"  interjects  Eve  severely. 
"You  don't  suppose  I'd  let  my  husband  go  driving 
about  the  country  with  any  oiher  young  lady." 

"No — of  course  not,"  mutters  the  detective;  then 
laughs,  "  By  gum,  Cap'n  Hamilton,  you've  got  a 
tight  hand  over  yer.  Perhaps  she  won't  even  let  you 
go  down  and  take  a  glass  with  us  in  the  bar-room  ? " 
But  in  this  speech  he  suddenly  pauses  and  gazes  with 
inquisitive  eyes  at  the  gray  riding-habit. 

"Well,  what's  the  matter?"  I  ask  anxiously. 

"  By  Jove  !  "  cries  Rod  Gibbon.  "Darned  if  Mrs. 
Hamilton  doesn't  look  like  the  gal,  as  well  as  I  kin  tell 
in  the  darkness,  you  had  with  you  in  Frederick  at  the 
hotel  thar." 

"  Had  a  girl  with  him  at  Frederick — at  the  hotel !  Oh  I 
Billy,  Billy  !  "  shudders  Eve,  then  her  eyes  flash — she 
cries  :  "  Don't  presume  to  come  near  me  1 "  for  I  have 
approached  her.  "  May  Heaven  forgive  you — I  never 
will !  "  and  in  a  flash  she  steps  to  the  stairs.  "  No,  no  ! 
don't  dare  to  follow  me  !  "  she  says  in  wild  and  tearful 
indignation,  then  flies  up  to  the  second  story  where 
I  hear  her  order:  "Give  me  a  private  room,  hotel- 
keeper  1  "  while  the  two  detectives  do  their  best  to 
conceal  their  merriment.  What  henpecked  husband 
ever  receives  sympathy  from  fellow  men  ? 

"  Hang-  you  !  "  I  say  savagely  ;  "you've  put  me  in 
a  devil  of  a  hole.  I'll  try  and  make  my  peace  with 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  23$ 

her.     You  swear  that  girl  was  only  my  prisoner,  if  my 
wife  asks  you." 

"Great  gosh,  Cap,  we  didn't  guess  your  lady  was 
such  a  high-flyer,"  mutters  Shook  apologetically,  as  I 
rush  upstairs  after  Eve. 

I  find  her  standing  in  an  old-fashioned  and  rather 
dilapidated  chamber. 

Going   to   her   I    think  she  is  sobbing,  but   as   she 
turns  her  face  to  me  tears  of  laughter  are  running  down 
her  pretty  cheeks.       "  Didn't  I  play  the  jealous  wife 
well  ? "  she  asks  merrily. 

"By  Jove!  you  nearly  frightened  me,"  I  chuckle; 
but  a  moment  after  whisper  tenderly  :  "You  wouldn't 
laugh,  dear,  if  it  had  been  another  girl  ?  " 

"No!"  Her  eyes  flame  up — thank  Heaven,  with 
real  passion.  ' '  No,  Billy  !  That  would  have  broken 
my  heart." 

"Ah,  you  love  me  !  "  My  arm  goes  round  her  lithe 
waist,  and  I  kiss  her  rapturously. 

"Yes,  I  love  you.  God  knows  how  I  love  you. 
God  knows — God  knows "  and  she  is  crying  now. 

"Crying  when  I  love  you — when  you  are  my  wife — 
when  we  may  be  happy  ? " 

But  here  she  draws  herself  away  from  me,  gently 
but  uncompromisingly,  and  says  :  "Now,  you  must  go 
away.  I'm  dripping  wet  and  faint  with  hunger.  Send 
me  something  to  eat.  Let  me  see  if  I  can't  get  some 
dry  clothes  from  some  woman  about  the  house." 

"  Suppose  I  sup  with  you  ?  "  I  insinuate. 

"Oh,  that  will  be  delightful  !  Have  the  meal  sent 
up  here. " 

"What  do  you  want?" 

"Anything — everything — I'm  awful  hungry!  It's 
ten  o'clock  at  night.  Hurry,  Billy,  send  some  woman 
to  me  quick  !  Don't  you  see  I'm  dripping  wet  and  you 
are  too  ?  But  I'm  better  provided  than  you." 

"How? "I  laugh. 

"  Well,  just  as  I  left  Aunt  Lucy's  house,  I  suddenly 
remembered  I  was  going  to  a  land  minus  les  modes  de 
Paris,  so  I  clapped  two  pairs  of  silk  stockings  in  one 
pocket  and  my  best  ball  slippers  in  the  other."  And 
she  produces,  from  under  her  waterproof,  a  pair  of  tiny 
slippers  and  some  dainty  hosiery.  "Now  run  away; 
tell  them  to  get  a  fire  built  in  this  room,  quick  !  Take 


*26  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

care  of  your  wife,"  she  laughs  coquettishly ;  "that's 
your  duty  now — take  care  of  your  wife."  As  I  turn 
away,  two  soft  arms  are  thrown  lovingly  around  me, 
and  Eve's  piquant  face  is  against  mine,  as  she  whispers  : 
"Hurry  the  supper,  and  don't  fail  to  come  up  with 
it" 

So  I  run  downstairs  and  give  the  necessary  orders, 
and  furthermore  see  they  are  executed. 

There  is  no  white  woman  in  the  house,  but  a  mu- 
latto girl  of  pleasant  face  and  willing  manner  acts  as 
chambermaid  ;  I  send  her  to  Mrs.  Hamilton. 

Then  I  go  down  into  the  bar-room,  and  dry  myself 
before  a  rousing  fire,  in  company  with  Joe  Shook  and 
Rod  Gibbon. 

"  Got  out  of  your  trouble  with  your  high-flyer,  Cap  ?  " 
whispers  the  first,  as  we  take  a  glass  of  whisky 
together. 

"Only  partially."  My  face  grows  so  glum  that  they 
thoroughly  believe  me. 

Something  like  half  an  hour  after  this,  the  mulatto 
girl  puts  her  head  in  the  doorway  and  says  :  "  I'se  got 
some  supper  for  you,  sah." 

"Very  well,"  I  answer  ;  "  I'll  go  with  you,"  and  turn 
to  follow  her. 

"Comin'  down  ag'in  ?  '*  remarks  Rod. 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  I  reply.  "  If  you  fellows 
have  got  any  more  good  stories  to  tell  me,  I'll  make  a 
night  with  you." 

A  moment  after  I'm  upstairs  again,  and  gaze  aston- 
ished. The  tumble-down  room  looks  cheerful,  hickory 
logs  are  blazing  in  the  old-fashioned  fire-place,  and  Eve 
is  flitting  about  over  a  supper-table,  looking  as  dainty 
a  maiden  as  ever  tripped,  in  a  simple,  light,  calico  dress, 
very  clean,  but  worn  so  piquantly  she  seems  like  a 
nymph. 

"  Now  keep  away,  Billy,"  she  flutters,  as  I  approach 
her.  "Sit  down  1  It  is  our  first  meal  together.  How 
many  lumps  in  your  cup  ?  "  for  she  is  presiding  over 
the  teapot. 

"  None  at  all,"  I  laugh.      "Kiss  the  cup." 

"Now,  don't  be  foolish.  My  lips  are  for  better  pur- 
poses. Oh,  I  knew  you'd  kiss  me  when  I  said  that. 
But,  Billy  please — please  sit  down  and  behave  your« 
self  "  No,  not  beside  me ;  opposite  me. " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  99J 

And  I,  obeying  instructions,  find  myself  looking  for 
the  first  time  over  the  family  table  at  my  wife. 

There  is  not  much  variety  to  eat ;  there's  nothing  but 
tea  to  drink ;  but  we  make  a  merry  meal  of  it.  We 
have  country  sausages  and  spare  ribs  and  some  Mary- 
land biscuits,  fresh  butter  and  fresh  milk,  and  a  pair  of 
wild  ducks  ;  very  plentiful  in  those  regions  in  that  day, 
but  cooked  with  onions  and  baked  till  a  gourmand 
would  roll  his  eyes  in  horror  at  them.  But  of  these 
dainties  I  make  a  tremendous  repast.  And  for  that 
matter,  Eve  plies  her  knife  and  fork  quite  diligently 
herself. 

This  being  over,  I  look  at  her  and  produce  my  cigar- 
case  and  say  :  "Can  I  ?  " 

"  Why,  certainly  !  You  know,  in  all  little  things  I'm 
going  to  be  awfully  obedient  to  you,  Billy." 

So  while  I  smoke,  I  examine  Arago's  pocketbook. 
The  rest  of  his  articles  are  of  slight  consequence :  a 
pen-knife,  money,  some  old  gold  and  silver  coins ; 
among  them,  a  faro  chip  shows  the  gambler. 

But  the  pocketbook  !  In  it  there  are  two  drafts  for 
considerable  amounts  upon  English  bankers,  and 
among  other  endorsements  on  one  of  them  is  that  of 
"Frazer,  Trenholm  &  Co.,"  of  Liverpool,  a  firm  noto- 
rious for  its  dealings  with  the  Rebel  government,  at 
Richmond,  and  at  one  time  understood  to  be  its  agent 
for  putting  Confederate  bonds  and  Confederate  cotton 
on  the  English  market.  Though  apparently  shielded  by 
numerous  other  endorsements,  one  of  these  drafts  has 
"Frazer,  Trenholm  &  Co.,"  upon  it. 

"  Arago  must  have  been  taking  big  chances,"  I  say, 
as  I  show  these  to  Eve,  and  whisper:  "  Money  just 
received  from  England.  When  Baker  investigates, 
he'll  find  the  Rebel  gold  that  bought  my  enemy  I  " 

"You — you  are  going  to  show  these  to  the  War 
Department  1 "  she  gasps. 

"Certainly!  When  I  return  to  Washington.  Hang 
it,  I  shall  be  the  efficient  Union  officer — who  killed  the 
Rebel  spy — who  pursued  him.  Half  a  dozen  teamsters 
will  swear  they  saw  me  riding  after  him  in  hot  pur- 
suit" 

"No,  no,"  she  mutters.  "Leave  the  dead  alone." 
To  impress  me,  Eve  has  approached  me. 

"Nonsense  1  "  I  reply.     " He  was  faithless  to  both 


228  BfLLY   HAMILTON. 

parties,  took  his  money  from  either  side,  and  would 
have  made  your  beauty,  also,  part  of  his  bribe.  The 
Rebel  Government  need  grieve  for  him  no  more  than 
the  Federal.  "  Were  it  not  for  Lommox  and  your  part 
in  this  accursed  pontoon  business,  I  think  I'd  dare  to 
take  you  back  with  me  to  Washington." 

"Don't  talk  of  that,"  Eve  whispers  hurriedly.  "I 
dare  not.  I — I  will  not  go  now  !  "  Her  eyes  seek  mine 
with  curious,  pathetic,  appealing  intensity. 

There  is  some  motive  aside  from  terror  in  her  voice, 
that  at  this  moment  I  cannot  fathom,  though  later  on  I 
know. 

"I  can't  bear  to  lose  you."  I  speak  into  the  little 
ear:  "I  won't  be  parted  from  you."  I  have  got  my 
arm  round  her  exquisite  waist  now,  that  unprotected 
by  corset  seems  to  thrill  under  my  embrace. 

"You  must — to  save  my  life,  Billy,"  she  falters,  her 
heart  beating  wildly,  her  beauty  enchanting  enough  to 
make  a  hermit  writhe  within  his  cell. 

The  sleeves  of  her  dress  float  back  to  her  dimpled 
elbows,  showing  arms  of  fairest  form  dazzling  and 
snowy  as  she  strives  to  unclasp  my  hand. 

The  light  cotton  gown  outlines  a  figure  superb  as 
that  of  Venus,  but  bedecked  by  fairy  graces  from 
gleaming  neck  to  petite  foot  and  ankle. 

Her  face  as  she  turns  it  to  me  is  covered  with  maiden 
blushes,  but  piquant,  alluring  and  loving,  as  if  she 
would  bind  me  forever  to  her  by  a  thousand  charms  ; 
despite  the  cruelty  with  which  she  means  to  treat  me — • 
for  there  is  a  determination  in  her  eyes  that  makes  my 
heart  sink. 

I  have  drawn  her  down  upon  my  knee.  The  pretty 
slippers  are  flashing  as  she  struggles  in  piquant  rebel- 
lion. "Sit  here  ;  be  quiet,  you  alluring  little  witch  !  '' 
I  mutter.  ''You  are  going  to  be  an  obedient  wife?  f) 

"Yes,  yes!  Take  me  to  Virginia!  Take  me  to 
Virginia,  Billy.  Until  then,  as  you  are  a  gentleman, 
remember  your  oath,  as  I  in  all  my  life  shall  remember 
my  vows."  Somehow  she  has  slipped  from  me.  Turning 
she  gazes  at  me  sadly  and,  looking  as  immaculate  as  a 
Madonna,  murmurs  :  "  Now  good-night,  loved  one. 
I  shall  pray  for  you  this  evening." 

"  Good-night,"  I  mutter  surlily,  and  turn  to  the  door. 
But  her  arms  are  round  me  and  she  is  sobbing :  "What 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  229 

an  ingrate  I  am.  You  are  risking  your  honor,  youi 
life,  to  save  mine  !  But  don't,  don't  think  me  an  unre- 
sponsive wife,  Billy.  Know  that  I  love  you." 

"  Love  me?  Ha,  ha  !  Ho,  ho  1"  I  laugh,  her  beauty 
driving  me  to  a  sarcastic  despair. 

"Love_y0« !  "  Her  lips  quiver,  she  murmurs  brok- 
enly: "Can't  you  see!  Don't  you  know,  I — I  have 
loved  you  ever  since  I  was  a  little  girl." 

"Pish!  I  have  killed  the  man  you  feared  would 
betray  you  if  he  guessed  you  were  my  wife  1  And 
yet " 

"And  yet  I  shall  hold  you  to  your  oath!"  she 
whispers.  • 

"An  oath  you'll  love  me  better  if  I  break  1 " 

"No,  no!  " 

She  has  fled  from  me,  then  turned  at  bay  for  I  have 
followed  her.  Her  eyes  shine  like  stars,  her  tresses 
that  were  banded  up  have  come  unbound  and  fall 
about  her,  the  soft  light  of  the  room  tinting  them  till 
their  brown  becomes  like  floating  gold. 

Her  beauty  makes  me  forget  all  else  save  that  I  am 
her  husband,  and  she  my  wife,  whose  lips  have  told 
me  that  she  loves  me.  These  lips  I  seek  with  mine, 
and  to  my  touch  they  answer  soft,  clinging  and  dewy 
with  a  passion  that  from  my  eyes  has  flamed  into 
hers. 

"  My  own,  my  bride."     I  whisper. 

"  Billy  !  "  she  sighs  to  me. 

My  hand  caressing  her  white  neck,  touches  a  little 
golden  chain  from  which  depends  a  bauble.  I  stoop 
to  kiss  the  gleaming  bosom  on  which  it  lies.  In 
rounded  maiden  beauty  it  throbs  to  my  caress. 

As  my  lips  touch  the  bauble,  my  wife  cries,  a  strange 
triumph  in  her  voice  :  "  Darling,  you  are  kissing  the 
Confederate  flag ! " 

"Not  my  flag  I"  I  say  sternly,  starting  back,  my 
hand  half  raised  to  take  the  traitorous  emblem  of  en- 
amelled gold  and  diamond  stars,  from  its  sweet  resting- 
place. 

But  now  she  is  pressing  the  disloyal  thing  to  her  lips 
and  murmuring  what  seems  like  a  prayer  to  it  and  cry- 
ing :  "  O  happy  omen  1  " 

"  Forget  your  fetich,  dear,"  I  whisper.  "There  are 
other  uses  for  those  sweet  lips  to-night' 


230  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

But  suddenly  Eve  seems  to  become  another  being, 
some  other  passion  dominates  her  heart.  She  draws 
herself  up  and  mutters  hoarsely:  "Your  oath  1  I 
hold  you  to  it,  as  you  are  a  gentleman  !  Ay — even  as 
you  are  my  husband  ;  for  without  it  I  would  not  have 
wed  you — dearly  as  I  love  you  !  No,  no  !  " 

She  tears  herself  from  my  arms  and  stands  like  a 
priestess  making  sacrifice,  her  eyes  flash,  she  cries  : 
"  I  have  a  duty  to  my  cause  !  " 

Then  some  kind  of  martyrdom  flies  over  her  face, 
she  pleads  :  "  Take  me  to  Virginia,  Billy  1  take  me  to 
Virginia !  No,  no,  please  don't  kiss  me — forgive  me— 
let  me  go — your  oath — good-night — go." 

For  a  moment  I  gaze  indignant,  but  smite  her  with: 
"  You  dare  say  that  to  me,  your  husband?  " 

"Yes — because  I  love  you — because  I  adore  you—- 
because I  will  have  you  truly  mine  I"  She  wrings 
her  hands,  but  her  eyes  gleam  with  indomitable  re- 
solve. She  throws  open  the  door,  and  begs  :  "Remem- 
ber your  oath  ?  You  swore  it  by  all  that  is  sacred.  I'll 
hold  you  to  it  if  it  breaks  my  heart !  Then  shudders 
pathetically :  "  Go  !— forgive  me  !  GO  !  " 

Stricken  and  dazed,  yet  forced  from  her  by  her  words, 
I  stagger  from  the  room  and  stride  savagely  down 
the  stairs  and  join  Messrs.  Shook  and  Gibbon,  and 
play  a  game  of  poker  with  them  and  drink  whisky 
with  them  till  almost  morning.  As  we  rise  from  the 
gaming  table,  Shook  says  :  "  Haven't  got  squared  yit, 
with  your  lady,  about  that  Frederick  gal,  eh  Cap?" 

"No,"  I  mutter,  and  my  tone  is  so  gloomy  and  my 
face  so  savage,  that  the  two  believe  I  have  the  most 
jealous  spouse  on  earth. 

As  they  go  away  from  me,  I  think  I  hear  Gibbon 
jeer  :  "Fired  !  "  and  the  two  guffaw  uproarously. 

But  I  am  too  miserable  to  resent  their  mirth  and  sit 
and  ponder  over  the  day  that  has  brought  to  me  a  wife 
who  is  not  a  wife,  and  a  homicide  that  is  not  a  murder. 
Anyway,  I  don't  repent  either.  Eve  loves  me,  I'll  swear 
to  that !  Arago  deserved  his  death  at  the  hands  of 
any  loyal  man,  I'll  take  my  oath  to  that  I  And  what 
do  I  deserve  ?  I'm  technically  a  traitor — aiding  a  Rebel 
spy  to  escape — but  hang  me  if  any  man  won't  save 
the  woman  he  loves — if  he  don't,  he  may  be  Union  he 
may  be  Secesh,  but  he's  not  a  human  being  I 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  231 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

QUASHIE,   THE   SECESH    NEGRO. 

THE  roosters  are  crowing  ;  the  morning  light  is  com- 
ing as  I  think  this  last. 

Her  safety  starts  me  up.  Though  I  first  look  to  her 
comfort. 

Partially  dried  underclothes  will  b.e  neither  pleasant 
nor  healthful  for  my  dainty  darling. 

I  rack  my  brain  to  find  Eve  others.  If  there  is  any 
store  in  this  broken-down  village  it  will  hardly  be- 
open  now,  and  we  must  be  getting  on  our  way  very 
quickly. 

The  mulatto  wench  make  her  appearance — telling 
her  my  wants  she  suggests  :  "  Sutlers." 

"Lammersdorffs  my  man,"  I  think.  Telling  the 
girl  to  hurry  up  breakfast,  and  rewarding  her  with  a 
dollar  for  her  trouble  of  the  night  before,  I  set  out  to 
find  the  German. 

This  does  not  take  long  in  the  circumscribed  limits 
of  Port  Tobacco,  which  looks  even  more  dilapidated 
in  the  sunlight — for,  I  thank  heaven,  for  Eve's  sake, 
there  are  indications  of  clearing  in  the  sky — than  the 
night  before  shrouded  by  gloom  and  obscured  by 
falling  rain. 

Passing  from  the  hotel,  I  wander  by  the  old  Court- 
House  in  the  centre  of  its  unkept  square,  and  in  a  pad- 
dock some  few  hundred  yards  from  this,  among  a  lot  of 
other  sutlers'wagons — these  purveyors  to  the  army,  for 
their  own  protection,  keeping  in  this  part  of  the  country 
pretty  well  together — I  find  Lammersdorff. 

That  worthy  German  who  is  just  making  his  toilet 
beside  one  of  his  own  teams,  on  seeing  me,  looks  very 
mysterious  and  leading  me  aside  asks  cautiously  : 

"  Did  you  git  her  ?  " 

"My  wife,"  I  answer  carelessly.  "Of  course  I  did  ! 
she's  up  at  the  Brawner  House  now — has  been  all 
night." 

"Veil,  for  a  bridegroom  you  is  an  early  riser,  young 


232  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

man,  but  in  dat  Brawner  House  dey  has  insects  dot 
would  make  a  gobernment  mule  rise  up  and  shake  him- 
self. Now  ver  did  you  leave  dat  U.  S.  Marshal  chap? 
Ven  you  left  me  you  looks  like  assassinating." 

"Oh/' I  answer  as  lightly  as  I  can,  "after  I  took 
my  wife  from  him,  he  didn't  have  any  more  business 
about  here.  You  put  that  matter  out  of  your  head ; 
you'll  never  hear  of  lifrom  him  again." 

"  So  !  Dat  is  good !  Dat  Secret  Serbice  man  won't 
say  nutten,"  remarks  the  sutler,  apparently  much  re- 
lieved. Then,  I  telling  him  my  wants,  he  adds  :  "Jake 
Conrade  is  your  man.  He  takes  drygoods  to  de  young 
ladies  dat  follows  de  army — mid  de  camp." 

I  don't  ask  what  kind  of  young  ladies,  but  following 
Lammersdorff  to  Conrade's  wagon,  soon  find  myself 
supplied  with  a  few  pairs  of  good,  strong,  ladies'  stock- 
ings and  some  feminine  underclothes  that  I  hope  may 
be  of  service  to  replace  Eve's  soaked  garments  that  can 
hardly  be  more  than  half  dry  by  this  time. 

With  these  in  my  hand,  I  seek  the  Brawner  House, 
and  running  upstairs  knock  at  the  door  of  my  wife's 
bedroom. 

"  Who  is  it  ? "  comes  to  me  in  her  sweet  voice. 

"Billy,  of  course!" 

"  Well,  '  Billy-of-course,'  run  downstairs  at  once  and 
tell  them  to  hurry  breakfast." 

"Are  you  nearly  ready  ?  " 

"Certainly,  but  I — I  don't  know  what  to  do  for 
stockings.  Ball-room  hosiery  won't  suit  Maryland 
roads,  and  the  ones  I  wore  on  the  journey  are  simply 
caked  with  mud." 

"  Well,  open  the  door  and  see  what  hubby  sends  you. 
I  have  been  out  shopping  for  you." 

"  What  have  you  got  ? "  There  is  feminine  curiosity 
in  the  voice,  and  loud  rustling  in  the  room  ;  the  door 
is  opened  a  very  little,  and  an  arm  white  as  purest 
marble  and  symmetrical  as  the  lost  ones  of  the  Venus 
of  Praxiteles,  is  extended  diffidently  groping  in  the  air. 
It  is  the  left  arm.  I  seize  its  wrist,  and  selecting  the 
second  finger,  press  my  lips  upon  the  golden  circlet 
that  binds  her  to  me. 

Then  I  quickly  add  to  the  wedding  ring  the  bauble 
I  had  purchased  in  Washington,  slipping  it  upon  the 
pretty  finger. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  233 

"What — what  are  you  doing?  "  she  whispers. 

"Putting  on  your  engagement-ring,"  I  say.  "The 
one  we  forgot  before  our  hurried  nuptials." 

"You — you  are  killing  me  with  kindness,  "is  faltered 
out  to  me. 

"Then  here's  some  more  kindness!"  With  this  I 
draw  the  superb  limb  to  me,  and  despite  a  bewitching 
little  scream  and  slight  struggle,  I  kiss  rapturously  the 
dimpled  shoulder,  and  am  rewarded  by  a  soft  lingering 
sigh  from  the  other  side  of  the  door.  Next  I  place  in  the 
little  hand  the  package  I  have  bought  from  the  sutler, 
and  as  I  run  downstairs  hear  her  cry:  "You  good 
hubby  !  you've  got  just  what  your  wife  wanted. 

A  few  minutes  after,  as  I  sit  at  the  Brawner  breakfast 
table,  a  natty  maid  in  gray  riding-habit  trips  in  to  my 
side. 

Fortunately  we  are  alone,  Shook  and  Gibbon  being 
engaged  in  sleeping  off  the  whisky  of  the  night  before, 
and  I  get  as  sweet  a  kiss  as  ever  man  received. 

"That's  for  being  a  good  boy,  hubby,"  she  says. 

"Ah,  the  engagement-ring,"  I  laugh. 

She  gazes  at  the  two  little  circlets  upon  her  finger, 
the  one  gleaming  with  a  diamond,  the  other  the  sim- 
ple symbol  of  her  vows ;  then  blushes  hotly  and 
laughs  :  "  You — you  can  give  me  another  one  for  that, 
Billy." 

"Certainly!  " 

"  Now  stop  making  love  to  me.  Quick,  let  us  eat 
our  breakfast  and  get  under  way.  I've  spoken  to  our 
landlord,  and  a  lady's  nag  and  side-saddle  will  be 
brought  round  together  with  Roderick  in  ten  minutes. 
Eat  in  a  hurry." 

With  this  we  both  address  ourselves  to  very  in- 
different coffee,  but  good  corn  cakes,  bacon,  and  fresh 
fish,  my  bride  explaining  hurriedly  to  me  :  "I've  found 
out  where  Wat  Bowie  is.  With  his  assistance,  half  our 
troubles  will  be  over." 

As  we  finish  the  meal,  there  is  a  sound  of  horses' 
hoofs  at  the  door,  and  settling  our  bill,  I  lead  my  bride 
out  to  where  a  darky  is  holding  Roderick  and  a  half- 
bred,  rather  gaunt,  but  apparently  active  mare.  This 
nag  has  upon  her  back  a  dilapidated  side-saddle.  Be- 
hind it  I  carefully  pack  Eve's  waterproof  and  my 
soldier  overcoat  for  her  use  in  case  the  rain  should 


£34  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

come  again,  though   the   sun    is  at  present  shining 

brightly. 

I  arrange  the  stirrup  for  her,  and  a  moment  after, 
she  placing  her  little  foot  confidently  in  my  hand,  I 
swing  her  into  the  saddle.  Then  giving  the  darky 
stable  boy  a  dollar,  I  jump  on  my  charger  and  we  can- 
ter off,  passing  a  platoon  of  cavalry  that  have  appar- 
ently come  down  to  guard  the  sutlers'  teams.  But 
these  pay  little  attention  to  us,  the  lieutenant  in  com- 
mand  simply  saluting  my  shoulder-straps  as  I  pass 
him. 

Returning  this,  I  follow  Eve — for  she  is  guide  now 
— along  the  road  over  which  we  had  returned  the  night 
before,  but  after  a  half  mile  we  turn  out  of  this,  follow- 
ing the  track  that  leads  towards  the  hamlet  called 
Allan's  Fresh.  On  one  side  of  us  are  the  great  swamps 
drained  by  the  waters  of  Allan's  Creek,  which  run 
into  the  Wicomico  River,  that  joins  the  Potomac  to 
the  south  of  us. 

"I'm  glad  we  didn't  have  to  go  past  that  awful 
place,"  remarks  Eve  with  a  shudder  as  we  take  this 
turn.  Then  suddenly  she  starts  and  ejaculates :  "  Oh, 
Billy,  how  horrible  you  look !  You  haven't  washed 
your  face  nor  combed  your  hair.  I'm  sure  you've  not 
slept.  You've — you've  not  been  thinking  of — of  the 
man  in  the  road  ?  " 

"  No ;  that  doesn't  trouble  me  very  much.  I've 
seen  better  men  than  he  fall  by  the  thousands  in  battle,'* 
I  mutter.  "  I  played  poker  all  night  to  kill  time." 

Then  perhaps  catching  some  reproach  in  my  face. 
Eve  gasps :  **  How  sternly  you  look  at  me ; "  and 
shudders  :  "You're — you're  beginning  to — to  hate  me!" 
Suddenly  her  eyes  fill  with  tears,  her  coral  lips  tremble, 
she  begins  to  cry  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 

What  man  could  resist  the  sorrow  of  so  beautiful  a 
creature  ?  I  swing  riy  horse  close  to  the  side  of  her 
mare,  my  arm  goes  round  her  slight  waist.  I  draw 
the  supple  figure,  in  all  its  rounded  beauty,  to  me, 
and  whisper :  "  No ;  I  love  you.  Despite  your  cruelty, 
—I  love  you." 

"  And  it  is  because  you  love  me,"  she  whispers,  "  and 
because  /  love  you,  that  I  feel  I  am  so  despicable !  For- 
give me,  Billy  I  "  Then  even  as  she  rides,  superb  horse- 
woman that  she  is,  she  throws  a  soft  arm  round  my  neck 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  235 

and  gives  me  a  kiss  that  makes  my  heart  throb.  Next, 
dashing  her  hand  across  her  eyes,  she  calls  cheerily  : 
"  Come  on,  Billy  ;  let's  get  to  Virginia." 

But  during  this  ride,  the  young  lady  seems  to  require 
a  good  many  little  delicate  attentions  from  her  cava- 
lier. Soon  I  have  to  shorten  her  stirrup.  To  do  this 
I  lift  her  from  the  saddle,  and  even  as  I  hold  her  beauti- 
ful form  in  my  arms  she  gives  me  another  kiss  and 
says  :  "That's  for  being  so  good  to  me." 

So  the  all  the  time  she  seems  to  be  trying  to  make 
her  peace  with  me  by  the  delicate  arts  and  subtle  fas- 
cinations of  a  woman  who  feels  that  she  is  doing  me  a 
wrong.  Sometimes,  I  have  thought  since,  she  was 
appealing  to  me  to  forgive  her  for  the  greater  wrong 
she  did  me  afterwards. 

The  ride  goes  along  very  pleasantly,  and  a  few 
minutes  after  this  Eve  draws  up  her  nag  sharply,  takes 
a  quick  look  about  her,  as  if  to  be  sure  of  her  surround- 
ings, then  gallops  up  the  road  about  fifty  yards,  and 
turning  her  mare  deftly  sends  her,  in  fox-hunting  style, 
over  the  snake-rail  fence  into  some  swamp  land. 

A  moment  after  I  put  Roderick  to  his  leap,  and  am 
beside  her.  ' '  What  did  you  do  that  for  ? "  I  ask. 
"Why  couldn't  you  let  me  open  that  tumble-down 
gate  for  you  ?  "  I  point  to  some  bars  about  fifty  yards 
away. 

"Of  course  not  1"  she  answers.  "To  have  opened 
the  gate  would  indicate  some  one  had  come  in  here, 
and  I  don't  imagine  that  Lieutenant  Wat  Bowie  wants 
visitors." 

"  Oh,  he's  in  the  Confederate  service  ?  " 

"Yes;  the  partisan  service.  He  was  a  Maryland 
lawyer ;  I  think  now  he  is  connected  with  a  gentleman 
named  Mosby,  over  in  Virginia." 

"  Mosby !  Who  is  he?"  I  ask.  For  at  that  time 
the  name  of  the  great  guerrilla  was  just  beginning  to 
be  known. 

"Oh,  he's  one  of  our  gallant,  dashing  fellows.  If 
this  war  lasts  much  longer,  you'll  hear  of  Mosby/'  Eve 
laughs.  "  A  Virginia  boy,  from  Fauquier  County. 
He  has  been  riding  with  Stuart,  but  lately  has  been 
detached ;  I  believe,  at  his  own  request.  Lieutenant 
Bowie,  I  presume,  has  come  over  for  information." 

While   she  is   saying  this,  we  are   passing  along  a 


236  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

half  effaced  trail,  the  swamp  with  its  tow  thickets  ol 
alder  and  dogwood,  its  bigger  trees  of  gum  and  beach, 
and  scrub  swamp  oak,  enclosing  it.  So  we  go  winding 
about,  Eve  seeming  to  know  the  path  perfectly.  Some 
half  a  mile  further  on  we  emerge  into  a  little  clearing 
in  which  is  a  Virginia  shake  cabin,  with  a  chimney  of 
mud  and  stones  running  up  its  gable  end. 

As  we  come  out  of  the  timber,  a  couple  of  curs  com- 
mence to  bark  savagely,  a  negro  flies  out  yelling,  and 
two  men,  springing  from  the  cabin  rifle  in  hand, 
cover  me  with  their  pieces. 

' '  For  God's  sake,  stop  where  you  are,  Billy  !  "  cries 
Eve  to  me,  then  rides  towards  the  cabin,  waving  her 
white  handkerchief  and  calling  :  "Put  down  your 
guns  !  Watt  Bowie,  Jim  Wiltshire,  don't  you  know 
Eva  Ashley?"  Suddenly  she  laughs.  "Why,  there's 
Quashie  also  !  " 

And  the  darky  gives  a  yell  of  delight :  "  Missie  Ebe — • 
Missie  Ebe !  You'se  got  out  of  de  Yanks'  clutches. 
Praise  de  Lawdy  1  Praise  de  Lawdy  I  "  and  fairly  dances 
with  joy. 

A  moment  later,  at  her  beckoning,  I  ride  up.  The 
two  white  men  look  suspiciously  at  my  blue  uniform. 
They  still  have  their  rifles  in  their  hands,  cocked  and 
ready  for  action.  The  negro  turns  evil  eyes  on  me,  for 
he  is  one  of  the  curiosities  of  the  war — a  Secesh  darky  ; 
one  whose  love  for  his  mistress  makes  him  the  enemy 
of  the  army  that  comes  to  give  him  freedom.  The 
negro  guide  who  betrayed  Ulrick  Dahlgren  in  his  raid 
on  Richmond,  was  one;  Quashie  was  another;  but, 
fortunately  for  the  Union  arms,  there  were  very  few 
of  these  black-skinned  anomalies. 

"Well,  Miss  Ashley,"  remarks  the  Confederate  ap- 
parently in  command,  "this  is  a  rather  curious 
visitor  you  bring  us." 

"Not  Miss  Ashley,"  remarks  Eve  sharply,  "but 
Mrs.  Hamilton.  The  gentleman  with  me  is  my 
husband." 

"  Your  husband  1 "  ejaculates  one  of  the  men. 

"What!"  cries  the  other  Confederate;  as  if  they 
can  hardly  believe  their  ears. 

But  the  darky  mutters:  "Oh,  golly  Goliah !  She's 
married  de  Yank  ; "  then  astounds  us  by  guffawing  : 
'Clar' to  goodness,  Miss  Ebe,  I'se  been  a-fearin'  dis. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  237 

I  knowed  you  was  gone  on  de  Yank  cap'n  eber  since 
he  captured  you  at  Frederick." 

"You're  quite  right,  Quashie,"  laughs  my  bride 
blushing  vividly  ;  and  continues  :  "  Captain  Hamilton, 
let  me  introduce  Lieutenant  Walter  Bowie  and  Sergeant 
Jim  Wiltshire." 

"  Then  let  me  congratulate  you,  sir,"  remarks  Bowie, 
his  manner  growing  cordial,  "on  being  the  most  for- 
tunate man  I  know. " 

But  the  other  cries  out  sharply:  "Captain  Billy 
Hamilton  ?  " 

"Certainly,"  I  reply. 

"  And  you  come  as  &  friend  ?  " 

"  I  don't  come  as  an  enemy." 

"No  enemy?"  chuckles  Bowie,  "when  Provost- 
Marshal  of  Baltimore  you  hunted  me  through  three 
counties  !  " 

"At  that  time  I  would  have  very  much  liked  to  see 
you,"  I  reply. 

"And  now  that  you  see  me,  what  do  you  want  with 
me?" 

"  Well,  my  wife  is  too  good  a  Rebel  for  me  to  dare  to 
trust  her  in  Washington  ;  therefore  I  have  brought  her 
to  you  to  ask  your  assistance  in  getting  her  through  to 
the  Confederate  lines." 

"You  guarantee  this  to  be  a  fact,  Miss  Ashley — I 
mean  Mrs.  Hamilton  ?  "  queries  Bowie  earnestly. 

"Certainly!  I  guarantee  that  my  husband  comes 
here  as  a  friend  ;  and  that  he  will  leave  you  as  a  friend," 
answers  Eve  decidedly. 

"  All  right ;  it  is  a  flag  of  truce  till  this  affair  is  over," 
laughs  the  lieutenant  pleasantly,  "though  you  could 
never  have  escaped  from  me."  And  Bowie  points  to 
two  men  who  have  just  shown  themselves  in  the  en- 
trance of  the  clearing,  apparently  following  behind  us 
on  the  path  that  we  came. 

A  moment  later  these  scouts  join  us,  and  receiving 
orders  from  the  lieutenant,  again  glide  into  the  under- 
growth and  disappear.  "I  always  like  to  be  sure 
against  surprise,"  remarks  this  Maryland  lawyer,  who 
has  grown  into  an  enterprising  and  desperate  partisan 

"  You  think  you  can  get  us  across  the  Potomac  to- 
night ?  "  I  ask  eagerly. 

u  That  all  depends  upon  the  weather.    We  want  to 


BILLY   HAMILTON, 

cross  ourselves.  And  I  believe  a  storm  is  blowing  up," 
he  points  to  some  clouds  that  are  now  gathering.  "  If 
it's  a  black  and  nasty  night,  we'll  make  the  attempt. 
You'll  have  to  leave  your  horses  here ;  you  can't  get 
them  across :  but  we've  good  nags  on  the  other 
side." 

"Where  do  you  intend  to  cross  ?  "  I  ask. 

"We'll  have  to  go  pretty  well  down  the  river.  Mat- 
tias  Point,  with  two  Yankee  Army  Corps  at  Aquia  Creek 
and  Falmouth,  wouldn't  do.  We'd  just  run  into  Burn- 
side's  whole  army." 

The  accuracy  of  his  information  surprises  me,  but  I 
make  no  comment  upon  it. 

"I  think  we'll  have  to  go  as  far  down  as  Baynesville 
at  least,"  he  continues.  "Then  we  can  probably  get 
over  to  the  Rappahannock  near  Leedstown,  and  across 
that  river  you'll  find  your  own  beloved  Dixie's  land, 
Mrs.  Hamilton." 

During  this  conversation,  Quashie  has  been  looking 
me  over  ;  several  affectionate  little  gestures  from  his 
joved  mistress  to  me,  have  gradually  changed  his 
manner  from  animosity  and  suspicion  to  respect  and 
regard.  Noting  this,  I  laugh:  "Quashie  how  about 
that  black  eye?  Was  it  an  Irish  government  mule, 
gave  it  to  you  ?  " 

At  this  he  gazes  at  me  suspiciously  again,  but  Eve 
whispering  to  him,  "You  may  trust  your  new  master, 
Quashie,"  the  black  guffaws  !  "  Fo'  de  Lawd,  Massa, 
Capt'n  !  It  was  a  U.  S.  army  mule  wid  sergeant  stripes 
on  him  arm." 

Into  this  colloquy  Bowie  breaks,  saying  cordially. 
"Now,  just  bring  your  lady,  Captain  Hamilton,  and 
we'll  have  lunch.  I  gathered  in  a  sutler  two  days 
ago,  Quashie  is  a  first-rate  cook,  and  we're  in  the  land 
of  plenty.  Jim  and  I  were  just  sitting  down  when  the 
dogs  announced  your  arrival." 

So  we  all  go  into  the  cabin,  and  there  find  a  generous 
"neal  of  canned  provisions,  fried  ham,  good  coffee 
and  some  biscuit  baked  in  a  Dutch  oven,  and  made  of 
United  States  Army  flour,  I  notice.  So,  with  a  bottle 
of  whisky  of  excellent  quality,  we  gentlemen  contrive 
to  pass  the  time,  I  adding  to  the  store  of  good  things 
some  of  the  famous  Bouquets  Esptciales  from  the 
pouches  on  Roderick's  saddle. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  239 

"By  Jove,  these  are  beautiful  cigars!"  remarks 
Bowie.  "  Do  you  know,  Captain,  about  the  only  hard- 
ship that  I  really  suffer  is  the  loss  of  good  cigars  reg- 
ularly. When  I  was  practising  at  the  Maryland  bar 
it  was  twelve  or  fifteen  a  day ;  now  it  is  one  in  twelve 
or  fifteen  days. " 

Here  he  is  interrupted  by  the  return  of  the  two 
scouts,  who  come  in  to  their  dinner,  their  places  being 
immediately  taken  by  Bowie  and  Wiltshire.  These 
men,  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Jake  Brown,  look  upon  my 
uniform  with  considerable  distrust. 

"  It's  kinder  lucky  you  had  a  lady  wid  ye,  Cap,"  re- 
rvtarks  Jake.  "I'm  a  sure  shot,  and  you'd  a-never  got 
through  that  ar  path  a  living  man,  if  it  hadn't  been  for 
that  ar  riding-habit  alongside  of  you  uns.'* 

"And  I  saved  your  life?"  cries  Eve  with  affrighted 
eyes;  then  she  suddenly  mutters:  "Some  time  per- 
haps I  will  save  it  again,  Billy,"  and  looks  at  me  pa- 
thetically and  all  this  day  seems  to  cling  to  me  as  if 
she  feared  what  the  morrow  might  bring  to  us.  For 
Bowie,  as  he  has  stepped  out,  rifle  in  hand,  after  scan- 
ning the  sky  has  remarked  :  "It's  pretty  nearly  certain 
we  cross  the  Potomac,  or  drown  in  it  to-night." 

Following  him  from  the  cabin,  I  find  the  clouds  are 
gathering  fast ;  the  wind  rustling  among  the  swamp 
foliage  is  growing  stronger.  , 

Here  a  little  hand  is  placed  upon  my  shoulder,  and 
Eve  whispers  :  "  It's  going  to  storm  ;  it's  getting  blacker 
every  minute.  They'll  never  get  those  pontoons  to 
Frederickburgs  in  time  1  " 

While  she  is  making  this  remark,  I  look  glumly  at 
her.  Every  exclamation  on  this  subject  shows  she  is 
an  unrepentant  Confederate  and  the  awful  political 
gulf  there  is  between  my  wife  and  myself. 

But  perhaps  catching  reproach  in  my  glance,  she 
says  coaxingly,  taking  my  big  hand  in  her  two  little 
ones:  "Forgive  me,  Billy,  for  being  a  Rebel,"  then 
bursts  out  in  a  tone  that  startles  me  :  "Pray  God  you 
forgive  me  to-morrow,  for  being  a  Rebel  1 " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I'll — I'll  tell  you  in  Virginia — but — not  now,"  she 
falters  ;  then  begs  piteously  :  "  Don't — don't  let  us  part 
twice"  and  nestles  to  me  in  a  way  that  makes  me  very 
tender  to  her, 


240  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

I  look  round,  we  are  alone,  at  the  back  of  the  cabin ; 
the  busy  clatter  of  knives  and  forks  from  the  scouts  in- 
side denotes  they  will  not  interrupt  us  immediately. 

I  sit  down  upon  an  old  settee  and  draw  my  bride 
upon  my  knee.  Her  plumed  hat  has  fallen  off  her 
graceful  head  ;  a  few  stray  nut-brown  curls  blowing 
about,  caress  my  lips ;  the  tight  fitting  riding-habit 
outlines  a  form  of  superb  symmetry  and  rounded 
beauty  ;  from  beneath  the  skirt  looped  up  for  walking 
peep  two  little  feet  and  exquisite  ankles.  I  gaze  on 
this  my  bride's  beauty  sadly  and  sternly. 

She  looks  at  me  archly,  coquettishly,  but  noting  my 
glance,  her  eyes  grow  full  of  tears,  she  murmurs  pa- 
thetically "You — you  forgive  me?  " 

"  For  what?"  I  ask  savagely. 

"You  know/"  and  she  hides  her  face  bashfully  upon 
my  breast. 

Suddenly  she  cries  :  "  Billy,  I — I  musn'tlove  you  too 
much  !  "  springs  from  my  knee  and  walking  about  com- 
mences to  chat  with  me  quite  merrily,  telling  me  I 
ought  to  wash  my  face  and  hands,  if  not  before  din- 
ner, at  least  after  dinner.  "Don't  look  such  an  awful 
unkempt  trooper,"  she  half  laughs,  half  cries.  "Why, 
one  would  think  you  didn't  have  a  wife  to  take  care  of 
you." 

"  For  God's  sake,  don't  torture  me  !  "  I  mutter,  and 
stride  glumly  off;  but  taking  her  advice,  wash  my 
face,  and,  borrowing  a  razor  from  Bowie,  who  returns 
about  this  time  and  seems  to  be  more  of  a  dandy  than 
the  rest  of  his  command,  I  succeed  in  shaving  myself 
before  a  broken  piece  of  mirror. 

Returning  the  barber's  implement  to  the  Rebel  lieu- 
tenant, I  suggest:  "You're  quite  a  Beau  Brummel, 
aren't  you  ?  " 

"Oh,  you  mean  because  I  keep  this  shaving  tool?  " 
he  laughs.  "  Not  at  all ;  though  I  used  to  be  some- 
thing of  the  kind  before  my  trooper  days.  Three 
times  have  I  saved  myself  from  Federal  troops  seek- 
ing for  me  by  disguising  myself  as  a  nigger-wench, 
and  found  it  convenient  to  have  a  clean  face  on  such 
occasions.  It's  a  matter  of  business  with  me,  not 
beauty.  Though  I  don't  mind  looking  my  best  when 
we  get  up  a  dance  in  the  hills  of  Fauquier  County. 
and  the  belles  of  Upperville  trip  the  measure  with  us 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  241 

cavalry  lads.     Some  handsome   girls  in  Virginia,  eh, 
Captain  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  think  I've  shown  that  I  appreciate  then 
beauty,"  I  reply,  casting  a  longing  glance  at  my  wife, 
who  is  outside  the  cabin,  apparently  in  a  brown  study. 

"She's  a  little  down  in  the  mouth,  isn't  she,  Captain 
Hamilton?"  remarks  the  Lieutenant  sympathetically. 
"  But  you  can  be  sure  that  I'll  do  my  best  to  take  care 
of  her,  and  there's  no  girl  more  popular  in  Virginia 
than  the  young  lady  you've  stolen  from  us.  Why,  even 
Carrie  Barton  of  Fredericksburg,  to  my  mind  is  not 
quite  as  pretty,  and  she's  the  toast  of  Richmond.  You 
— you  haven't  got  another  of  those  cigars  ?  "  he  asks 
longingly. 

"Yes,  half  a  dozen  of  them  !  Help  yourself.  God 
bless  you,  my  generous  fellow  1 "  I  say,  and  shake  his 
hand  warmly.  In  fact,  all  of  them  now,  from  enemies 
seem  to  have  become  comrades  to  me — for  this  trip. 

Stepping  out  to  my  wife,  I  note  there  are  tears  in  her 
eyes,  but  she  brushes  them  away  as  I  sit  down  beside 
her.  "  You  are  grieving  at  leaving  the  delights  and 
comforts  of  Washington  ?  "  I  suggest. 

"Oh,  no,  for  I'm  going  to  my  own  people." 

"Ah,  but  my  people  are  now  your  people,"  I  say. 

"Not  yet,"  she  answers;  then  whispers  in  sudden 
self-reproach  :  "What  will  you  think  of  me,  Billy,  at 
this  time  to-morrow  ?  WHAT  ?  " 

"Always  as  my  wife — my  beloved  wife." 

"  I  hope  so  ;  and   yet "    She  wrings  her  hands, 

then  murmurs:  "Don't  let  us  think  of  that ;  let  us 
try  to  be  happy  now  ;  "  and  charms  me  by  her  coque- 
tries of  manner,  her  exquisite  graces  of  body,  intellect 
and  soul,  and  I  love  her  even  more  as  the  storm  breaks 
upon  us  and  we  have  to  retreat  to  the  house. 

But  now  darkness  is  coming  upon  Maryland.  The 
wind  is  howling  through  the  trees.  The  scouts  have 
come  in  ;  Bowie  has  made  all  his  preparations ; 
Quashie  has  cooked  for  us  another  good  meal. 

"Eat  hearty,  everybody,"  Jake,  our  guide  chuckles, 

"  our  next  feed'll  be  in  ole  Virginia,  or "  he  claps 

his  big  jaws  together  with  a  suggestive  snap. 

"Yes,  be  sure  and  drink  lots  of  strong  coffee,  Mrs. 
Hamilton,  the  night  will  be  bitter  cold  upon  the  water," 
adds  Bowie  to  my  wife. 


242  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

As  we  eat  the  Lieutenant  remarks  :  "You've  got  to 
leave  the  horses  here.  You  can  perhaps  pick  them  up 
when  you  come  back,  Captain.  Let's  go  out  and  i*^ke» 
'em  comfortable  while  you're  away." 

I  go  with  him  to  a  broken-down  barn  some  hundred 
yards  from  the  cabin,  where  we  do  everything  possible 
for  Roderick  and  the  mare,  leaving  them  food  and  water 
for  a  week,  but  not  closing  the  stable  door,  thougb 
putting  up  the  bars  in  the  paddock. 

Returning  from  this,  I  am  met  by  Eve  and  her  darky 
henchman.  "Quashie,"  she  says  to  him  in  pleading 
impressiveness,  "  remember  this  gentleman  is  my 
husband  and  your  master  ;  that  I  love  him  as  my  life — 
better  than  my  life — obey  his  words  as  you  would  mine  ; 
love  him,  as  you  do  me." 

"I  can't  do  de  last,  Missie,"  answers  the  negro; 
"but  I  can  do  de  rest,  you  kin  bet  yo'  life  on  it. 
Dough  I  nebber  'spected  yo'd  say  dis  of  a  Yankee 
offisah.  Nebber,  so  help  me  Gawd  !  " 

"Thank  you,  Quashie,"  I  mutter,  and  give  the  black 
my  hand. 

A  greeting  that  apparently  astounds  him,  for  he 
hesitates  to  take  it ;  then  suddenly  seizes  it  and  mutters: 
"  Lawd  bless  yo'  Massa  Hamilton  !  You  do  de  right 
t'ing  by  her  an'  I  do  de  right  t'ing  by  you'.  Fse  yo' 
man  from  dis  time  on  ! "  and  goes  off  to  gather  his 
mistress's  few  belongings. 

"You  can  trust  Quashie  now,  my  Billy,"  says  Eva 
earnestly.  ' '  He  is  yours  as  he  is  mine,  with  every  beat 
of  his  true  negro  heart." 

Little  words  these,  but  carrying  life  and  death  with 
them,  though  I  know  it  not 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

•  '  I  HAVE  BEEN  TRAITOR  ENOUGH  I  " 

"DEAR  one,  you  have  everything  you  need  for  the 
journey?"  I  ask  anxiously  of  the  beautiful  creature  at 
my  side,  for  her  charge  to  Quashie  about  me  has  made 
me  even  more  tender  than  before. 


BILLY  HAMILTON.  243 

"  Everything,  my  husband,  thanks  to  your  purchases 
this  morning.  Though  you  made  an  awful  fit  of  those 
stockings  ;  three  sizes  too  large  for  my  feet." 

"Well,  better  luck  next  time,"  I  say,  and  give  her 
a  mighty  squeeze. 

Here,  Eve  starts  from  me,  for  Bowie  coming  out  of 
the  cabin  laughs  :  "  Stop  flirting  with  your  wife,  Cap- 
tain Hamilton,  and  tramp  along  after  me.  We  must 
get  under  way  for  Dixie." 

A  moment  later  we  follow  him,  as  do  the  whole 
party.  Guided  by  Jake  Brown,  we  tramp  a  long  mile, 
half  of  it  through  a  swamp  trail,  the  otherportion  along 
an  unused  wood-road  ;  I  supporting  Eve  and  doing 
the  best  I  can  for  her  in  this  weary  part  of  the  journey. 

At  the  end  of  the  wood-road  we  come  to  a  little  creek 
that  at  low  tide  would  probably  be  a  mud  flat,  but  is 
now  full  of  water.  Moored  in  this  is  a  light-draught, 
but  good-sized  skiff  or  boat.  It  holds  our  party  easily  ; 
in  fact,  it  would  hold  three  or  four  more.  Making  my 
wife  as  comfortable  as  possible  in  the  stern  sheets  of 
this,  and  shielding  her  with  a  tarpaulin  that  is  in  the 
boat  as  well  as  some  blankets  we  have  brought  for 
her,  and  every  one — God  bless  them  ! — doing  as  much  as 
possible  for  my  darling's  comfort,  the  boat  is  shoved 
off  out  on  the  waters,  into  the  darkness. 

But  it  is  guided  by  skilful  hands  and  rowed  by  strong 
arms,  and  the  out-going  tide  is  with  us.  An  hour 
afterwards  we  have  come  out  of  the  Wicomico  River, 
and  are  on  the  bosom  of  the  Potomac,  which  is  several 
miles  wide  at  this  point  The  night  is  dark  ;  the  rain 
is  falling  heavily. 

"If  the  lightning  doesn't  show  us  to  them,  we're 
pretty  safe  from  Yankee  patrol  boats,"  whispers  Bowie 
as  he  steers  the  craft. 

And  the  night  grows  darker,  and  the  rain  falls  heavier, 
but  fortunately  there  is  little  lightning.  Though  the 
wind  makes  a  nasty,  choppy  sea  of  the  Potomac,  which 
is  here  practically  an  estuary. 

After  dodging  one  steam  launch,  the  noise  of  her  ma- 
chinery and  sparks  from  her  smoke-stack  disclosing 
her  to  us,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  some  two 
hours  before  daylight,  we  strike  the  Virginia  shore,  and 
running  carefully  and  cautiously  down  it,  make  landing 
Somewhere  about  six  in  the  morning  in  a  little  cove 


244  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

which  is  apparently  well  known  to  Bowie,    about    a 
mile  below  Baynesville. 

Part  of  this  trip,  under  the  tarpaulin  and  the  blank- 
ets, I  think  Eve  has  slept,  for  she  has  spoken  little  to 
me  except  to  assure  me  that  she  is  perfectly  comfort- 
able— that  she  has  made  one  or  two  such  passages  be- 
fore— that  she  doesn't  mind  it  in  the  least,  except  for 
my  sake  ;  snuggling  her  little  hand  into  mine. 

Leaving  the  boat  by  the  first  light  of  the  morning, 
we  soon  reach  a  farmer's  house. 

"One  of  the  right  kind!"  remarks  Wiltshire,  and 
we  find  it  very  much  of  the  right  kind,  for  everything 
that  hospitality  can  suggest  is  done  for  us,  the  daughter 
of  the  house  giving  my  wife  dry  underclothes  and 
making  a  great  deal  of  her. 

Though,  did  not  Eve  assure  them  that  I  was  her  hus- 
band, my  uniform  would  probably  receive  a  cold  wel- 
come, as  the  Virginia  husbandman  and  his  wife  look 
upon  it  with  by  no  means  cordial  eyes. 

In  fact,  at  breakfast,  the  farmer's  daughter,  a  buxom, 
chirpy  lassie  of  about  eighteen,  remarks  laughingly  : 
"'Deed  I  couldn't  marry  a  man  dressed  in  that  nasty 
Yankee  blue!  You  just  get  Cap'n  Hamilton  into  nice 
Confederate  gray,  and  your  fellow'll  look  twice  as 
purty  to  you — 'deed  he  will,  Miss  Ashley  !  " 

During  the  laugh  that  follows  this  remark,  Eve  droops 
her  exquisite  head,  as  if  ashamed  ;  though  as  I  lead  her 
down  to  put  her  on  the  horse,  her  manner  is  coquettishly 
alluring  and  charmingly  tender  to  me.  Still,  once  or 
twice,  as  I  speak  tenderly  to  her,  she  hangs  her  head  and 
turns  away  her  glance,  as  if  in  some  great,  though 
latent,  distress.  "It  is  the  thought  that  we  must  part 
soon,"  I  conclude,  and  that  idea  makes  my  heart 
heavy  also. 

The  party  is  soon  on  horseback — for  information  has 
been  brought  that  there  are  no  Federal  forces  in  the 
neighborhood,  all  of  these  having  been  drawn  into  the 
Union  army  some  thirty  miles  above  us,  and  Bowie 
thinks  we  must  start  at  once. 

So  this  morning  we  gallop  through  Virginia  mud 
from  the  Potomac  to  the  Rappahannock.  The  sun  has 
got  out  again  and  is  shining,  and  it  seems  to  be  a 
pleasant  jaunt  to  my  wife,  for  the  nearer  we  get  to  the 
Confederate  lines,  the  brighter  becomes  her  face,  the 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  245 

more  buoyant  her  air,  ihe  more  loving  her  manner  to 
me.  Though  sometimes,  as  she  looks  on  me,  strange 
spasms  of  agony  seem  to  run  over  her  sensitive  feat- 
ures, that  ripple  with  each  passion  of  her  enthusiastic 
soul,  each  thought  in  her  vivacious  mind. 

These  eccentricities  of  her  face,  grow  more  numerous 
and  more  vivid  as  we  cross  the  Rappahannock  on  a 
flat-boat  ferry,  near  Leedstown  landing  on  the  opposite 
bank,  a  few  miles  below  Port  Royal. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  after  this,  we  see  the  Southern 
flag,  and  are  challenged  by  a  scouting  party  of  the 
Fifteenth  Virginia  Cavalry,  and  Eve  cries,  a  mighty  joy 
in  her  voice  : 

"  Here  are  my  boys  in  gray  !  Hurrah  !  the  Confe- 
derate colors." 

Then  Bowie  and  Wiltshire  answering  the  challenge, 
after  a  short  conference  we  are  passed  through  the 
Rebel  picket  line,  and  I  find  myself  in  the  presence  of 
Major  Robinson,  who  is  in  command  of  a  squadron  of 
his  regiment  that  are  patrolling  this  bank  of  the  river, 
to  see  no  divisions  of  the  Federals  attempt  to  cross 
unobserved  belcw  Fredericksburg. 

Gazing  on  my  uniform,  this  officer  orders  me  under 
guard.  But,  after  a  few  minutes'  conference  with  Eve 
and  Bowie,  he  returns  to  me  accompanied  by  my 
wife. 

"Major  Robinson,"  she  says,  "permit  me  to  intro- 
duce my  husband — Captain  Hamilton  of  the  United 
States  Cavalry." 

"You've  not  come  under  a  flag  of  truce,  Captain," 
remarks  the  Virginia  major." 

"  Not  unless  my  wife  is  one." 

"Well,  sir,  she's  better  than  any  flag  of  truce," 
answers  the  Confederate  officer  gallantly.  "  Both  sides 
surrender  to  beauty.  As  I  understand  from  her,  you've 
brought  Mrs.  Hamilton  into  our  lines  to  save  her  from 
a  very  serious  complication  in  Washington,  brought 
about  by  her  devotion  to  our  cause." 

"Yes,  "cries  the  girl  ecstatically.  "I  have  learnt 
that  Longstreet's  whole  division  is  entrenched  on  the 
heights  at  Fredericksburg.  I  kept  the  Federals  back, 
Billy  ;  I  kept  them  back  !  I  did  the  work  of  an  army 
corps ! " 

"  Better  than  an  army  corps  !  "  remarks  the  Confede- 


246  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

rate  major.  "Before  the  Yanks  can  cross,  Jackson 
will  have  time  to  join." 

"  They're  beaten  1  They're  beaten  before  the  battle 
is  begun  !  "  cries  Eve  in  half-delirious  joy. 

"  Yes  ;  if  Burnside  is  foolish  enough  to  make  the  at- 
tempt now,"  I  think  gloomily;  then  look  at  my  wife 
with  indignation.  For  she  is  commencing  to  make  me 
thoroughly  realize  that  I  am  a  traitor,  that  in  shield- 
ing her  I  have  been  false  to  my  army — my  comrades. 
For  I  have  saved  one  who  has  committed  a  military 
crime  and  doomed  brave  men  to  death — even  though 
she  is  my  bride. 

But  the  girl  doesn't  seem  to  think  so.  Her  manner 
is  buoyant,  her  eye  proud,  her  step  elated  ;  and  all 
this  tends  to  make  me  very  firm  against  the  allurements 
of  a  beauty  that  now  she  turns  on  my  sad  heart  and 
brings  to  bear  upon  my  senses,  with  every  subtle  art  a 
girl  can  use  to  make  a  man  turn  traitor. 

The  Confederate  officer  and  my  companions  of  the 
journey  between  lines,  have,  with  the  instincts  of  gen- 
tlemen, moved  away  from  us  and  left  my  bride  and  me 
alone  in  a  pretty  sylvan  glade  that  runs  down  towards 
the  Rappanannock,  which  is  now  muddy  with  coming 
torrent,  though  the  sun  is  bright  in  the  heavens  and 
shines  upon  the  girl,  to  give  her  an  ethereal  loveliness 
for  she  has  thrown  off  wraps  and  waterproof  and 
stands,  her  eyes  ablaze,  her  fair  hair  floating  in  the  soft 
breeze,  with  every  beauty  line  of  her  superb  figure 
made  apparent  by  the  tight-fitting  bodice  and  draping 
folds  of  her  soft,  clinging  riding-habit — to  tempt  me. 

Despite  my  anger,  at  her,  my  tone  grows  very  sad  as 
I  say  1  '*  We  part  here  ;  Eve,  we  must  part  here. " 

Suddenly,  I  start  and  gaze  at  her  astounded ;  for 
now,  as  she  speaks  to  me,  I  begin  to  have  a  glimmer- 
ing of  the  horrible  thing  she  meant  by  saying  :  "Take 
me  to  Virginia." 

' '  Part  here  P  "  Do  you  suppose  I  could  have  been 
so  cruel  to  you  my  loved  one,  had  I  ever  intended  to 
part  from  you  again  ?  "  She  has  come  to  me  and  put 
her  arms  round  me  :  her  voice  is  soft  with  passion,  her 
eyes  dewy  with  love,  she  puts  her  sweet  lips  up  to 
mine  and  kisses  me  with  all  her  soul  and  whispers 
bashfully:  "Here  is  where  we  begin  to  live  together 
as  husband  and  wife  !  " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  247 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"I  mean  this  !  As  I  told  you  one  night  in  Wash- 
ington, every  girl  should  give  to  the  cause  she  loves 
the  man  she  loves.  You  I  want  to  give  to  my  coun- 
try, for  I  love  you  ;  it's  the  greatest  sacrifice  I  can 
make  to  it.  The  more  I  adore  you,  the  grander  my 
offering  !  The  more  your  heroism,  the  greater  will  be 
my  glory  in  you  !  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  I  repeat.  For  even  now  I 
cannot  understand,  I  will  not  understand  the  devilish 
bribe  she  is  proposing. 

"I  mean,  here  is  my  flag!  The  one  you  kissed 
that  night  upon  my  bosom.  As  you  love  me,  come 
under  it,  a.v\&  fight  under  it,  and  I  will  be  the  most  lov- 
ing wife  to  you  that  ever  blessed  a  man.  You  shall 
have  my  soul,  Billy,  my  soul !  I  love  you  now  !  Oh, 
how  I  love  you,  or  I  would  not  beg  you  to  do  this  thing 
for  me."  Then  she  suddenly  screams,  "  Don't  look  at 
me  that  way  ! "  for  I  have  turned  awful  eyes  on  her. 

"And  this  is  your  price,"  I  whisper  to  her.  "My 
honor,  for  your  love.  This  is  a  good  wife's  maxim ! 
this  is  a  true  wife's  maxim  !  I  have  risked  my  life  to 
save  you — I  have  tainted  my  honor  to  save  you — but, 
damn  it,  I've  been  traitor  enough  !" 

"Ah,  you  give  me  up?"  She  is  pleading  now,  her 
blue  eyes  soft  and  dark  as  violets  with  passion. 

" Never/"     I  say  fiercely,  as  I  look  upon  her  beauty. 

"Never  !  God  bless  you  for  those  words  Billy  !  she 
sighs. 

"NEVER!  I  made  an  oath  to  you;  I  have  kept  it. 
For  three  torturing  days  I,  your  husband,  have  walked 
by  a  wife  who  is  not  a  wife.  Every  beauty,  every 
charm  of  your  manner,  every  kiss  of  your  lips,  has  been 
to  me  a  temptation,  an  agony.  I  have  kept  my  vow  ; 
you  keep  yours  •'  For  seven  days  I  swore  ;  three  days 
have  passed ;  only  four  remain,  then  do  you  keep  your 
vows !  I  go  with  you  into  the  Confederate  lines,  but 
not  as  a  Confederate  soldier;  I  accompany  you  as 
your  husband,  to  put  you  in  a  place  of  safety.  I  go 
with  you  into  the  Rebel  lines  as  a  Confederate  prisoner. " 

Running  from  her,  I  call  out  hoarsely  to  the  South- 
ern officer,  who  is  standing  some  fifty  yards  away, 
busy  with  his  men  :  "Major  Robinson,  I  wish  to  see 
you  I " 


*4-8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"At  your  service,  captain,"  he  answers,  coming 
towards  me. 

"You  know  I've  been  paroled  until  exchanged,"  I 
cry  to  him.  "I  demand  to  rescind  my  parole.  Here 
is  my  sword  and  my  side-arms.  Send  me  as  a  prisoner 
to  Richmond  with  my  wife."  Then  looking  at  Eve, 
who  is  gasping  by  my  side,  I  laugh  hoarsely  :  "You, 
my  bride,  don't  escape  from  me,  your  husband  !  " 

But  the  Confederate  major,  stepping  to  us,  says  :  "I 
hardly  understand  you.  You  say  you  wish  to  rescind 
your  parole,  to  surrender  yourself  as  my  prisoner?" 

"I  do!" 

That  I  refuse  to  accept,  Captain  Hamilton.  Your 
parole,  once  given,  is  sacred.  We  have  enough  to 
support  in  our  impoverished  country,  without  taking 
a  paroled  prisoner  there." 

"  You  refuse  to  take  me?  " 

"  Certainly.  A  military  compact  once  made  is  good, 
and  cannot  be  made  void  at  the  wish  of  one  party  to 
the  agreement  without  the  consent  of  the  other.  I  re- 
fuse to  accept  the  surrender  of  your  parole.  You  have 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  here,  under  your  wife's  protection, 
which  acts  as  a  flag  of  truce  ;  after  that  time,  Lieuten- 
ant Bowie  and  an  escort  will  take  you  back  to  the  shore 
of  the  Potomac.  Your  wife  is  too  high  in  our  esteem 
for  me  to  permit  you  to  take  any  unnecessary  risks  in 
escorting  her  to  the  safety  of  our  lines."  With  this  the 
Confederate  major  walks  away,  and  I  see  him  giving 
orders  to  Bowie  and  Wiltshire  and  Brown. 

"You  see,"  whispers  Eve  desperately,  "you  can 
come  with  me  in  only  one  way — as  a  Confederate 
soldier.  Think  how  I  love  you  !  Don't  break  both  our 
hearts.  Come  !  No  wife  shall  be  so  loving.  Come  !  " 
and  her  soft  arms  go  round  me  tight  and  clinging,  and 
her  dewy  lips  give  kisses  unto  mine  that  might  be  the 
foretaste  of  a  paradise. 

"Never!"  I  whisper  doggedly.  "NEVER!  I  have 
been  traitor  enough,  and  I  know  it  better  now  than  I 
did  when  I  saved  you.  You  have  had  your  way  ;  you 
will  part  from  me,  a  wife  who  has  never  had  a  hus- 
band. I  will  leave  you,  a  husband  who  is  wedded  to 
the  memory  of  a  beautiful,  a  noble,  girl,  in  all  but  one 
thing  ;  she  thinks  naught  of  her  husband's  honor." 

"  My  God  !     Don't  reproach  me  that  way  1     Others 


BILLY   HAMILTOIT.  249 

have  left  the  United  States  service  for  my  flag,  and 
hold  their  heads  high  enough." 

"But  not  as  you  propose — not  as  military  outcasts 
and  deserters.  Besides,  I  am  not  one  of  them.  Thank 
God,  not  one  of  them  !  " 

"Then  you  refuse  to  accept  my  obedience  as  your 
wife  ? " 

"No,  on  the  contrary,  I  hold  you  to  it,"  I  whisper 
firmly.  "You  are  mine,  my  wife,  and  whether  it  takes 
days,  or  months,  or  years,  you  are  still  mine,  my  wife  ! 
Here  ! — you  are  going  to  a  land  of  poverty.  Take 
what  money  I  have  about  me — take  it  all!" 

"  No — no  !  If  you  won't  accept  my  wifely  devotion, 
do  you  suppose  I'm  so  mean  a  thing  as  to  take  support 
from  you.  ffereJ"  A.nd  with  this  cry  she  throws  the 
money  I  had  given  her  in  Washington  down  at  my 
feet.  "I  will  not  accept  support  from  you,"  she 
says  proudly,  "though  I,  for  my  part,  will  give  you 
honor  and  obedience  and  love  as  my  husband.  I  will 
be  your  true  wife,  though  parted  from  you.  Your  name 
shall  be  borne  and  held  and  honored  by  me.  That  is 
the  only  expiation  I  can  give  you  for  my  crime." 
There  are  tears  in  her  voice.  "  That's  what  it  is,  Billy  ; 
I  know  it  now — an  awful  crime  against  love,  against 
you.  Had  I  adored  you  less,  I  would  have  sinned 
against  our  love  less  !  But  I  wanted  you  and  I  to  have 
one  soul — one  heart,  dear  one  !  That  my  joy  would 
be  your  joy  ;  my  triumph,  your  triumph  !  But  now,  I 
— O  God  I've  made  you  hate  me.  Forgive  me — forgive 
me — forgive  me  ! " 

"No;  love  you — love  you — LOVE  YOU;"  I  whisper; 
for  her  beauty,  in  her  despair,  in  my  despair,  seems  to 
me  greater  than  ever.  "  I  love  you — I  love  you — and 
even  the  Confederate  lines  shall  not  keep  me  from  you." 

"  My  God,  you'll  lose  your  life  !  " 

"But  I  will  win  your  love.  When  I  pluck  that  ac- 
cursed banner  down,  I'll  clutch  you  to  my  heart." 

' '  No— no.     Don't  hate  that  flag. " 

"I  will!  For  it  stands  between  you  and  me.  Re- 
member ! — look  on  those  rings  that  bind  you  to  me, 
and  know  that  I  will  have  you.  Good-bye."  I  seize 
her  in  my  arms. 

Then  how  she  clings  to  me  !  How  she  begs,  how 
she  sobs,  how  she  implores  me  to  forgive  her — to  love 


250  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

« 

her — to  go  with  her.  And  her  caresses  are  as  entranc- 
ing, as  if  she  were  the  Goddess  of  love,  and  her  lips 
are  sweet  as  an  angel's,  and  her  voice  pleading  as 
Delilah's,  and  her  witcheries  as  alluring  as  a  siren's. 

But  of  a  sudden,  with  a  smothered  moan,  I  break 
from  her  embraces  and  run  from  her — for  if  I  stay,  I 
know  my  love  will  destroy  the  little  honor  of  a  soldier 
that  I  feel  she  has  left  in  me. 

Behind  me  I  hear  a  scream,  and  soft  cries  of  love  ; 
but  I  dare  not  look  back. 

I  hurry  to  the  Confederate  picket,  and  noting  my 
haggard  eyes,  the  Rebel  major  says  huskily  :  "These 
partings  with  our  war-brides  are  cruel  things.  Captain 
Hamilton.  I  have  a  girl-wife  in  Richmond,"  and  his 
brown  moustache  twitches.  "But  good-bye;  she's 
coming  after  you,"  he  whispers  nervously.  "  Mount 
your  horse  !  Get  away  quick  1  Don't  give  her  a  sec- 
ond agony." 

He  salutes  me,  and  Bowie  and  Wilshire  and  I  pass 
out  of  the  Confederate  lines. 

Then  I  hear  Robinson  cry:  "Good  God,  she's 
fainted  !  "  and  something  seems  to  crack  in  my  head  ; 
but  I  still  go  forward  I — I  dare  not  turn  back. 

Bowie's  arm  is  round  me  for  I  am  reeling  in  my 
saddle. 

But  I  stagger  on,  benumbed  with  misery  and  made 
half  comatose  by  despair,  till  four  hours  afterwards  I 
find  myself  and  the  Rebel  lieutenant  afloat  on  the  Po- 
tomac. 


BOOK  V. 
THE  BATTLE  FOR  HER  LOVE. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

*'I    WILL   GO   TO   THE    REBEL   CAPITAL." 

Two  days  after  this,  I  awake  in  the  little  cabin  in 
the  Maryland  swamps  to  which  Eve  had  taken  me  be- 
fore we  crossed  to  Virginia.  Bowie,  who  is  cooking 
his  breakfast,  remarks  to  me:  ''You've  been  out  of 
your  head  a  little,  old  man  ;  but  you'll  pick  up  soon 
now." 

"Was  I  delirious ? "  I  question. 

"Well,  if  you  weren't,"  he  half  laughs,  "you  had  an 
exciting  wedding-day  of  it.  Yesterday  I  thought  I'd 
see  if  your  delirious  notions  were/ac/s,  and  rode  over 
to  where  you  raved  about  killing  a  United  States  Dep- 
uty-Marshal, and  found  if  you  had  not  slain  him,  some- 
body else  had  done  his  business  just  as  you  described 
it.  A  straight  thrust  en  carte,  eh,  my  boy?" 

"  Did  I  rave  of  anything  else  ?  "  I  ask  anxiously. 

"  Well,  rather !"  He  looks  at  me  grimly.  "I'm  in- 
clined to  think,  if  some  of  your  hallucinations  were 
true,  you  had  a  very  close  call  of  putting  on  a  gray 
uniform  over  in  Virginia."  Then  he  turns  to  me,  and 
the  laugh  goes  out  of  his  voice  as  he  whispers  :  "  I'll 
take  any  message,  anything  you  write,  anything  you 
wish  to  send  to  Mrs.  Hamilton.  And  by  the  Lord 
Harry,  if  you  want  to  go  back  to  your  wife,  we'll  make 
the  trip  together  !  " 

But  I  mutter  despairingly :  "  No ;  I  have  been 
traitor  enough  1  "  and  try  to  stagger  to  my  feet. 

But  I  am  scarce  able  to  stand,  and  it  is  two  days 
after  this  before  I  mount  Roderick. 

"You  won't  change  your  mind  and  go  back  to 
Virginia  ? "  says  Bowie  in  kindly  voice  to  me,  as  he 
stands  by  my  charger's  side. 


«S2  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"No, — don't  tempt  me,"  I  whisper  hoarsely. 

"You'd  better  remain  here  another  day.  You're 
not  very  strong  yet,  old  man." 

"No  ;  I  will  not  put  any  further  danger  upon  you. 
Besides,  my  leave  of  absence  expires  to-morrow  ;  I 
must  go  to  Washington." 

"  Then  this  is  all  you  want  me  to  give  Mrs.  Hamil- 
ton ? "  remarks  the  Confederate.  And  he  holds  up  a 
note  I  have  written  in  lead  pencil,  telling  my  wife 
to  address  any  letters  for  me  to  the  care  of  my  sisters  in 
Baltimore,  that  I  will  be  true  to  my  vows  to  her,  as  she 
must  be  true  to  her  vows  to  me,  reminding  her  of  her 
promise  and  swearing  that  I  will  hold  her  in  my  arms 
soon,  war  or  no  war. 

"Well,  we  all  follow  our  own  lights  in  this  contest," 
says  the  partisan  philosophically  ;  "  and  the  next  time 
you  and  I  meet,  I  suppose,  Captain  Hamilton,  we'll  be 
enemies." 

"  Not  enemies  !  "  I  return  ;  "  though  we  may  be  op- 
posed to  each  other.  For  I  know  what  you  have  done 
for  me,  Wat  Bowie.  You  have  taken  care  of  a  man 
unable,  from  misery,  to  take  care  of  himself.  You've 
got  me  through  the  lines,  and  risked  your  own  life 
again  to  watch  over  me  as  a  brother." 

"Don't  thank  me  too  much,"  answers  the  gallant 
fellow  kindly.  "There's  a  girl  over  in  Virginia  who 
is  a  little  sweet  on  you,  I  imagine  ;  and  we  think  a 
mighty  sight  of  her.  A  heap  of  my  philanthropy  was 
on  your  bride's  account.  So  good-bye  ;  present  my 
compliments  to  Mr.  Secretary  Stanton  and  tell  him  he 
won't  get  me  again  in  the  Old  Capitol  Prison  where  he 
once  had  me."  Then  he  laughs.  "By  Jove,  they 
ought  to  promote  you  for  slaying  that  deputy  United 
State  marshal,  if  half  you  said  of  him  was  true." 

But  the  thought  of  Arago  and  what  I  have  tc  tell  the 
War  Department  makes  me  wish  to  hurry  on  ;  and  so 
one  of  those  curious  partings  of  Border-State  war  takes 
place.  Men  who  may  have  to  fight  each  other  in  an 
hour,  grip  hands  as  friends,  and  I  see  the  last  of  genial, 
whole-souled,  dashing  Wat  Bowie — the  hate  and  terror 
of  the  Secret  Service.  For  the  gallant  chap  falls,  six 
months  afterwards,  in  his  foolhardy  raid  into  Maryland 
to  capture  the  Union  governor  of  that  State,  potted 
from  the  roadside  by  "  farmer  with  a  bird-gun  full  of 
buckshot 


BILLY   HAMILTON  853 

Five  hours  afterwards,  just  as  it  is  getting  dark,  I 
ride  up  to  my  F  Street  boarding-house  in  Washington, 
in  a  most  miserable  and  despairing  frame  of  mind.  I 
had  left  it  braced  by  excitement  and  buoyant  with 
bridegroom's  hopes  ;  I  come  back  to  it  bereft. 

But  I  have  not  much  time  to  meditate  on  my  lost 
love.  Little  Mr.  Finnaker  comes  in  to  me:  "By 
Yankee  Doodle,"  he  cries,  "I've  been  wanting  to  see 
you  for  the  last  day.  Where  have  you  been  ? " 

"In  Baltimore  most  of  the  time — on  leave  of  ab- 
sence." 

"Well,  we've  got  the  scoundrel!  /  found  him  I 
Arago  was  the  traitor  !  I  always  said  so — you  remem- 
ber that.  I  always  said  so.  For  three  days  I  tracked 
the  double-dyed  Rebel  through  Maryland  swamps.  If 
you  don't  believe  me,  ask  Arago — but  of  course  you 
can't ;  he's  dead  !  " 

"Didyou  kill  him  ?"  I  ask,  a  curious  smile  coming 
over  my  countenance. 

"Well,  not  exactly;  but  I  was  instrumental  in  it 
His  body  was  brought  in  yesterday.  Two  of  Baker's 
detectives,  Shook  and  Gibbon,  have  just  claimed  the 
ten  thousand  dollars  reward  for  killing  him." 

That  evening  I  call  on  Mrs.  Bream,  and  whisper  to 
her  of  the  safe  arrival  of  her  niece  in  the  Confederate 
lines  ;  telling  the  aunt  that  I  have  placed  my  wife 
where  she  can  easily  get  to  her  mother  and  family. 

"I'm  very  glad  you  did  send  Eve  away,"  remarks 
Lucy  to  me,  "though  I  suppose  her  absence  is  a  great 
loss  to  a  suddenly  ardent  bridegroom  ;  your  face  shows 
that,  my  poor  boy.  But  some  rumors  the  Senator  has 
picked  up  from  some  of  the  War  Department  officials 
make  him  also  glad  she's  gone.  The  war  will  soon  be 
over.  Burnside  is  bound  to  get  to  Richmond  this  time ; 
he  is  already  opposite  Fredericksburg.  And  after  we 
have  whipped  our  Southern  friends  again  into  the 
Union,  we'll  take  young  Mrs.  Repentant  Rebel  back  to 
our  arms,  eh,  Billy  ?  "  she  laughs  good-naturedly. 

It  would  have  been  wise  of  me  to  have  thrown 
Arago 's  pocket-book  away  and  never  mentioned  the  sub- 
ject to  any  one.  But,  thinking  that  some  of  the  data 
of  the  traitor  may  be  of  use  to  the  War  Department  in 
detecting  other  spies  and  traitors,  the  next  morning  I 
go  up  to  the  War  Office  and  make  my  report,  not  to 


254  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

Mr.  Stanton  in  person  but  to  one  of  his  assistants,  and 
deposit  the  pocket-book  with  him,  telling  of  my  hav- 
ing, in  an  investigation  put  into  my  hands  by  Colonel 
Baker,  become  suspicious  of  Arago — for  I  dare  not 
mention  that  I  know  anything  about  the  pontoon  busi- 
ness— and  discovering  the  traitor  flying  from  Washing- 
ton, I  had  pursued  him  and  overtaken  him,  and  on 
his  refusing  to  surrender,  killed  him  in  personal  com- 
bat while  attempting  to  make  the  arrest. 

My  pursuit  of  Arago  is  not  difficult  to  prove.  Upon 
investigation,  the  War  Department  discover  half  a  dozen 
teamsters  and  sutlers  who  saw  me  galloping  after  the 
Quartermaster-General's  clerk's  buggy  on  the  wild  and 
stormy  night  of  the  i9th  of  November.  This,  together 
with  my  surrender  of  the  pocket-book  and  other  per- 
sonal belongings  of  Arago  absolutely  defeats  Messrs. 
Shook  and  Gibbon's  claim  for  the  reward  for  killing  the 
Rebel  agent  and  makes  them  my  eternal  and  undying 
enemies. 

Joe  Shook,  meeting  me  on  one  of  the  streets  of 
Washington,  voices  his  ideas  on  this  subject  in  the 
following  words  :  "  Darn  yer  eyes  !  Ye've  busted  us, 
Cap  Hamilton,  but  look  out  that  we  don't  bust  you. 
Rod  Gibbon  and  me  knows  a  thing  or  two,  and  we're 
working  on  it  like  mice  on  pie — we  are.  So  look  out 
fur  us,  you  cursed,  low-lived,  henpecked  husband." 

"  Keep  your  insolent  tongue  to  yourself,"  I  reply. 
"I  simply  prevented  two  scoundrels  from  robbing  the 
Government ! ' 

"And  ye'll  regret  that  little  biz  to  yer  death — which 
may  come  sooner  than  ye  reckon,  Cap,"  snarls  the 
detective  at  me,  the  look  of  a  devil  in  his  cold  gray 
eyes.  "For  Rod  Gibbon  and  I  are  sworn  to  do  ye  1 
If  one  of  us  don't  git  ye,  'tother  will,  sure  as  pickles  is 
•our,  yer  grinning  cavalry  buck  1  * 

For  I  am  laughing  in  the  fellow's  face  a  yellow 
guffaw,  his  jeer  about  my  wife  making  me  too  miser- 
able to  care  about  his  rage. 

Besides,  just  about  this  time  I  become  so  famous  as 
a  dyed-in-the-wool,  loyal-to-the-death  Union  man, 
that  I  think  a  couple  of  Secret  Service  detectives, 
already  caught  in  one  fraud,  can  do  me  little  damage. 

For  my  sister  Birdie  elopes  with  gallant  Arthur  Ver- 
oxilye  of  the  New  York  Artillery,  and  this  enltvement  of 


BttLV   HAMILTON  255 

A  high-brecr  .3a'tfmore  "  secesh  "  belle  of  prominent 
Southern  fami'y  by  an  officer  wearing  Uncle  Sam's 
uniform  is  heralded  xar  and  wide  by  the  loyal  press 
of  America  and  attributed  to  my  staunch  Unionism  ; 
one  article  stating  that  when  Provost-Marshal  of 
Baltimore  I  had  used  my  utmost  endeavors  to  bring 
about  the  nuptials  of  my  beautiful  sister  to  her  Northern 
lover.  It  ends:  "Long  life  and  strong  arm  to  the 
most  loyal  officer,  Captain  William  Fairfax  Hamilton, 
who  has  taught  the  Rebs  a  social  lesson." 

As  I  glumly  meditate  on  this  veracious  statement,  I 
receive  a  telegram.  It  reads  : 

"  BALTIMORE,  December  2,  i86a 
"To  CAPT'N  W.  F.  HAMILTON  : 

"  Meet  us  at  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  depot  at  4  P.  M.,  to-day. 

"  BIRDIE  AND  ARTHUR." 

Arriving  at  the  station  on  time,  an  archly  beautiful 
and  bashfully  blushing  bride  comes  tripping  to  me, 
proudly  hanging  on  the  arm  of  the  stalwart  artillery 
man.  Amid  her  kisses,  my  congratulations  and 
Arthur's  hearty  handshaking,  I  learn  the  following  : 

Papa,  acting  the  old-time  father,  had  locked  Birdie 
up.  By  means  of  the  old-time  darky  footman,  Jonas, 
letters  had  passed  between  her  and  her  lover,  and  the 
elopement  had  been  planned.  Miss  Birdie  had  fled 
from  her  home  and  had  been  privately  married  to  the 
man  she  loves ;  who  now  has  her  as  his  war  bride.  A 
quick  wedding,  a  short  honeymoon  ;  perhaps  the  bride- 
groom will  be  hastily  ordered  to  the  front,  I  meditate 
gloomily  as  I  look  upon  a  diamond  tear  and  a  ruby 
drop  of  blood  sparkling  and  gleaming  in  the  betrothal 
ring  on  Birdie's  pretty  finger. 

Even  my  sister's  enthusiastic  and  vivacious  joy 
doesn't  elevate  my  spirits.  When  Vermilye,  slapping 
me  on  the  back  with  a  brother's  hand,  whispers,  "Bill, 
you  should  go  and  do  likewise  1  Where's  that  pretty 
Miss  Ashley,  eh  ?  "  I  only  answer  him  with  a  hollow 
groan.  I  don't  deem  it  wise  to  confide  to  him  my  sec- 
ret ;  the  fewer  that  know  of  it,  the  fewer  that  can  be 
compromised  by  my  having  loved,  wedded  and  saved 
a  Rebel  spy,  whose  damage  to  the  Union  arms  is  now 
shortly  to  become  awfully  apparent. 


256  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

But  though  news  of  impending  operations  and  battle 
comes  from  the  army  scarce  fifty  miles  away,  Wash- 
ington society  goes  on  as  gayly  and  as  merrily  as  if 
the  Angel  of  Death  were  not  sharpening  his  sword 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Rappahannock.  At  present, 
well  born,  aristocratic  Vermilye  of  the  Artillery,  on 
thirty  days'  leave  of  absence,  with  his  beautiful  bride, 
is  the  centre  of  attraction  at  f£tes  and  dances. 

Lucy  Bream  gives  a  magnificent  dinner-party  in  their 
honor,  at  which  the  great  War-Senator  toasts  me  as 
the  most  loyal  Union  Border-State  man — except  him- 
self— in  America. 

"By  John  Brown's  body  !"  he  remarks  jovially  hold- 
ing up  his  glass  of  wine.  "  If  I  could  have  kept  my 
Virginia  niece  here,  I  believe  Billy  Hamilton  would 
have  completed  my  conversion  of  her  and  made  beau- 
tiful Eva  Ashley  as  absolutely  Union,  as  his  brother- 
officer  has  made  the  pretty  little  flower  he  has  stolen 
from  the  ranks  of  lovely  secessionists." 

"Yankee  Doodle!"  cries  Finnaker,  who  is  sitting 
near  me  with  dashing  Molly  Bent,  "that  was  not  nec- 
essary, Senator.  /  had  converted  Miss  Ashley  before 
either  of  you.  I  don't  like  to  tell  tales  ;  "  he  strokes 
his  moustache  calmly  and  simpers:  "But  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  her  mother  in  Virginia,  she  might  have  been 
here  now — and  a  bride  also." 

He  looks  so  very  cunning  and  knowing  as  he  makes 
his  soft  insinuation  that  Aunt  Lucy  catching  my  savage 
eyes  bursts  out  laughing  till  she  chokes. 

While  I  glare  at  him  in  a  way  that  causes  the  pretty 
girl  at  my  elbow  to  giggle:  "What  makes  you  look 
so  savagely  at  Mr.  Finnaker,  Captain  Hamilton  ?  Do 
you  want  to  convert  all  the  Rebel  maids  yourself?  " 

"  No,"  I  reply  gallantly  ;  "  there  are  enough  Union 
beauties  near  me,  without  going  South  for  any  more. " 
And  I  gaze  at  Miss  Sallie  Reynolds's  sweet  face  and 
snowy  neck  and  shoulders  ;  a  society  compliment  in 
my  eyes,  though  my  heart  is  as  heavy  as  the  plum-pud- 
ding which  has  just  been  brought  on  the  table. 

But  into  this  whirl  of  fashion,  gayety,  frivolity  and 
patriotism,  suddenly,  on  the  1 3th  of  December,  comes 
the  report  that  Burnside  has  bombarded  and  captured 
Fredericksburg,  and  crossed  his  army  to  the  South  side 
of  the  Rappahannock  on  four  pontoon  bridges,  these 


BILLY   HAMILTON,  257 

having  at  last  arrived  at  Falmouth.  Marvellous  to  relate, 
this  walking1  into  the  trap  which  Lee,  Jackson  and 
Longstreet  have  been  preparing-  for  him  quietly  on  the 
hills  behind  the  town,  for  three  long  weeks,  making  a 
strong  position,  practically  unassailable,  and  absolute- 
ly impregnable  when  manned  by  sixty-five  thousand 
Confederate  veterans  under  their  trusted  leaders  is 
heralded  as  a  Union  victory.  * 

The  next  day  comes  the  report  that  Burnside  has 
attacked,  and  from  that  officer's  telegrams  and  de- 
spatches, if  he  has  not  won,  at  least  he  has  gained  a 
decided  advantage  over  his  opponents.  And  the  jour- 
nals are  full  of  happy  comment,  the  capital  being  deli- 
riously wild  with  the  excitement  and  joy  of  victory. 
But  I  note  that  one  or  two  high  officials  of  the  War 
Office,  have  decidedly  anxious,  not  to  say  affrighted, 
faces. 

Then  comes  the  next  day.  "  Disaster  "  is  on  every- 
body's lips;  "Defeat"  on  everybody's  tongue.  "A 
gallant  army  sent  to  ruin  !  "  is  placarded  on  news- 
paper bulletin  boards,  and  Fredericksburg  is  known  to 
have  been,  if  not  a  military  crime,  at  least  a  military 
madness. 

And  I,  reading  the  long  lists  of  killed  and  wounded 
brave  men,  feel  more  than  ever  that  I  am  a  traitor ; 
for  I  have  saved  the  being  whose  stratagem  had  de- 
layed the  army  and  caused  this  holocaust.  Impressed 
by  this,  I  long  to  get  to  the  front  and  put  my  life  in  the 
balance  of  actual  conflict.  I  mutter,  as  I  clasp  my  fore- 
Lead  with  my  hands  :  ' '  Let  me  make  sacrifice  for  her  I " 

But  my  parole  still  hangs  over  me,  and  paralyzes 
my  sword-arm. 

About  this  time  suddenly  comes  the  first  whisper  of 
delayed  pontoons  ;  a  little  ripple  in  the  press,  which, 
gradually  growing  stronger,  bursts  into  a  howl  of  de- 
nunciation against  the  War  Office,  special  attention 
being  given  and  special  venom  poured  out  upon  the 
Secretary  of  War.  f 

Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Stanton  is  probably 

*  Vide,  New  York  Herald,  Tribune,  and  all  other  Northern  news- 
papers of  Dec.  I3th  and  I4th  of  1862. — ED. 

T  Vide  :  Editorials  of  N.  Y.  Herald,  also  the  celebrated  cartoon  of 
Columbia  demanding  her  15,000  sons  murdered  at  Fredericksburg, 
from  Lincoln,  Stanton  and  Halleck,  in  Appendix. — ED. 


X$8  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

in  not  the  best  of  spirits  or  temper.  At  all  events,  / 
find  it  so  ;  for  one  morning  a  provost  guard,  directed 
by  Messrs.  Shook  and  Gibbon,  calls  on  me  at  F  Street 
and  I  find  myself,  without  explanation,  removed  from 
the  social  amenities  of  my  boarding-house  to  a  cell 
in  the  Old  Capitol  prison  ;  one  of  my  detective  friends 
remarking  jovially  :  "Now,  by  thunder  !  we've  got  ye 
where  we  want  ye,  my  meddling  captain  !  " 

From  the  seclusion  of  this  government  Bastille,  I 
write  to  the  proper  authorities,  asking  for  the  charges 
made  against  me,  but  my  letter  receives  no  answer. 

Again  I  write,  demanding  to  be  tried  by  court-mar- 
tial on  whatever  charge  is  preferred.  This  appeal  pro- 
duces no  greater  result  than  my  former  letter. 

I  send  for  Senator  Bream.  He  comes  to  see  me, 
and  gives  me  very  cold  comfort  by  saying:  "I'd  do 
anything  for  you,  but  I  can't.  Martial  law  exists,  and 
you'd  better  make  a  clean  breast  of  it." 

"Of  what?" 

"I  don't  know;  the  War  Department  keep  their 
mouths  very  close  on  your  case.  But  whatever  it  is, 
you'd  better  make  a  clean  breast  of  it ;  then  I'll  see  if 
I  can't  get  you  pardoned.  Anyway,  they've  got  you, 
as  they  have  hundreds  of  others  all  over  the  country  ; 
they'll  try  you  when  they  want  to, — or  they  won't  try 
you.  But  under  martial  law,  some  one  has  to  give  up 
something,  sir,  for  the  salvation  of  the  country.  If 
you  are  a  true  patriot,  you  should  be  willing  to  suffer 
for  the  cause. " 

All  the  time  Vermilye  sticks  by  me  like  a  brother, 
and  brings  every  social  influence  to  bear  in  my  behalf 
— and  he  has  plenty — but  in  those  days  everything 
was  answered  by  the  one  plea,  "  Military  necessity." 

So  the  long  months  drag  away.  Paroled  by  the 
Rebels,  I  am  imprisoned  by  the  Federals. 

My  incarceration  is  however  not  particularly  rigid. 
Lucy  Bream  occasionally,  and  Birdie  quite  often,  visits 
me,  and  newspapers  are  sent  to  me.  I  have  my  meals 
forwarded  from  a  first-class  hotel.  Physically  I  am 
comfortable  ;  mentally  I  am  in  Hades ;  for  I  am  in  an 
agony  of  fear  about  my  wife — I  dread  that  Eve  will 
come  to  deliver  herself  to  Federal  mercy — to  make  me 
free.  And  under  the  circumstances,  fear  it  might  even 
mean  her  life. 


BILLY    HAMILTON,  25$ 

For  during  the  time,  a  letter  has  been  brought  to  me 
by  my  eldest  sister,  who  has  come  from  Baltimore  to 
see  me.  She  looks  at  me  and  half  sneers:  "See  to 
what  your  loyalty  has  brought  you — imprisonment  from 
the  Yankees  and  the  contempt  of  those  who  love  you  ! " 

"Are  you  here  for  nothing  else  except  to  make  me 
more  wretched,  Virgie  ?  "  I  say. 

"No;  were  it  not  for  a  matter  of  duty,  I  should 
have  never  looked  upon  your  face  again."  Then  she 
whispers  :  "  This  letter  arrived  from  Richmond." 

With  a  smothered  cry  I  seize  and  open  it,  and  for  one 
moment  my  prison  becomes  a  palace  ;  then  I  shudder 
as  I  read ;  for  it  runs  thus  : 

"  MY  DARLING  HUSBAND  : 

"  I  have  written  to  you  three  times,  but  I  suppose  my  letters  have 
gone  astray,  or  been  lost  in  the  forwarding. 

"  So  I  again  write  to  you,  for  lately  word  has  been  brought  to  me 
that  you  have  been  imprisoned  in  Washington,  and  I  fear  it  is  be- 
cause you  have  loved  me  and  saved  me.  If  it  is  for  me  that  you  have 
lost  your  liberty,  I  beg  you  to  say  to  the  War  Department  of  the 
United  States  that  I  will  come  through  the  lines  and  surrender  my- 
self to  them,  rather  than  that  yo*;  should  suffer  for  loving  too  much 
"  Your  wife — your  true  wife — your  devoted  wife, 

"EvA  VERNON  HAMILTON." 

Though  this  puts  me  into  a  rapture,  it  sends  a  thrill 
of  fear  through  me.  I  cannot  write  to  my  wife  from 
the  jail,  but  I  tell  my  sister — in  whose  honor  I  can 
trust  whether  she  loves  me  or  doesn't  love  me — of  my 
marriage,  and  beg  her  to  write  my  bride  for  God's 
sake  not  to  come,  no  matter  what  happens  to  me  ;  that 
my  only  happiness  in  life  is  in  knowing  that  she  is  safe. 
And  Virginia  goes  away  from  me  with  a  very  white 
and  astounded  face,  though  she  has  promised  to  do  my 
bidding. 

Soon  after  this  Birdie  comes  to  me  in  the  despair  of 
many  other  young  brides  of  that  day,  to  tell  me  that 
her  husband's  battery  has  been  detached  from  Fort 
McHenry  and  ordered  to  active  service. 

"I  know  he's  going  to  be  killed,  Billy  !  "  she  sobs 
brokenly.  "I  know  this  diamond  on  my  ring  means 
my  tear — this  ruby  on  my  ring  means  his  blood. 
That's  what  it  means,  Billy.  The  awful  Rebels  are 
marching  North  ! "  for  this  is  just  before  Gettysburg. 
"They're  going  to  kill  my  husband!"  then  she  cries 


260  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

savagely,  clenching  her  little  fist,  "  Oh,  how  I  hate 
them  !  "  and  goes  from  me  to  weep,  as  Arthur  Ver- 
milye's  light  battery  rolls  out  of  Fort  McHenry  and  up 
the  long  dusty  roads  to  join  the  crown  of  artillery  that 
at  Round  Top  and  Cemetery  Ridge  checked  the  highest 
rolling  tide  of  the  Confederacy,  when  Pickett's  Division 
made  their  fatal,  yet  immortal,  charge. 

So  the  summer  of  1863  rolls  away,  the  winter  passes, 
and  the  spring  campaign  opens,  while  I  am  wearing 
my  heart  out  against  the  bars  of  the  Old  Capitol  prison. 

About  this  time  comes  Grant  from  the  West,  and  the 
great  campaign  of  1864  begins  with  the  Wilderness. 
But  some  three  months  before  this  the  military  hand 
that  has  seized  me  relaxes  its  grasp.  One  morning,  to 
my  astonishment,  a  couple  of  deputy  United  States 
marshals — for  I  have  been  held  by  the  Secret  Service, 
not  by  the  military  arm,  as  that  would  have  been  im- 
possible without  court-martial — convey  me  in  a  carriage 
to  the  War  Department. 

After  some  formalities  and  waiting,  I  am  shown  into 
Secretary  Stanton's  private  office. 

He  looks  at  me  very  much  as  a  cat  does  a  mouse, 
stroking  his  long  beard  reflectively,  and  remarks,  in 
suave  but  incisive  tones:  "Captain  Hamilton,  I  can 
hang  you  !  " 

"Not  without  trial,  Mr.  Secretary,"  I  reply,  and  then 
ask  :  "  For  what  ?  " 

"You  escorted  a  female  Rebel  spy  out  of  Washing- 
ton— the  very  one  you  were  charged  to  deliver  over  to 
Baker  of  the  Secret  Service." 

*'  I  escorted  my  wife  out  of  Washington;  I  will 
admit,"  I  say  firmly, 

"Who?" 

"My  wife.'" 

"  But  I  am  referring  to  Miss  Ashley  I " 

"So  am  I.  I  married  her,  the  day  I  escorted  her 
out  of  Washington  I  " 

"The  devil !  "  he  mutters,  and  stares  at  me  astonished 
as  I  add : " 

"You  can  put  me  on  court-martial  for  that — if  you 
like,  Mr.  Secretary." 

"But  I  don't  wish  to.  I  don't  want  any  of  that 
matter  gone  over  ;  it  has  passed  away  now.  I  wish  to 
spare  you,  I  desire  to  promote  you,"  he  goes  on  per- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  261 

suasively.  ' '  I  wish  to  give  you  a  chance  to  distinguish 
yourself.  /  have  use  for  you  !  " 

"  How  ?  "  I  cry.  "  Have  I  been  exchanged?  Am 
I  free  to  go  to  the  front  ?  " 

"You  have  been  exchanged  for  six  months,  and  I 
want  you  to  go  further  than  the  front." 

"What  do  you  mean,  sir?  " 

"  You  recollect,  nearly  two  years  ago  you  brought 
me  a  commission  made  out  to  William  Fairfax  Hamil- 
ton, as  major  in  the  Confederate  army  and  signed  by 
Jefferson  Da  vis,  and  his  secretary-of-war." 

"Certainly,  sir!" 

"  You  told  me  that  you  had  kept  it  in  order  that  some 
day  you  might  do  with  it  for  your  country  a  great 
thing.  That  time  has  now  come." 

"  Please  be  more  explicit,  Mr.  Secretary." 

"Well,  I  mean  this.  I  want  to  know  exactly  the 
strength  of  the  Rebel  garrison  of  Richmond  and  its  for- 
tifications, and  what  are  the  chances  of  capturing  it  by 
a  coup  de  main.  They  are  sending  every  man  they  can 
spare,  and  lots  they  can't  spare,  to  Lee's  army  to 
oppose  Grant's  spring  campaign.  Richmond  must  soon 
be  pretty  well  denuded  of  troops.  I  want  to  know  the 
chances  of  a  quick  cavalry  command  reaching  Belle 
Isle  prison,  releasing  the  prisoners  there  and  raiding 
Richmond,  before  I  dare  order  the  movement.  I  am 
very  explicit  with  you.  Captain  Hamilton,  I  want  to 
know  the  chances  of  its  success." 

"I  will  go!"  I  whisper,  with  a  suddenness  and 
eagerness  that  astounds  him.  "If  in  return  for  my 
risk  of  life  and  military  honor,  you  agree  to  grant  me 
the  full  and  free  pardon  of  my  wife." 

"The  girl  that  delayed  the  pont "  he  checked 

himself  and  replies  sharply.  "No,  no!  Impossible, 
sir."1 

"  Then,  Mr.  Secretary,  I  lift  no  hand  to  destroy  the 
Southern  Confederacy  and  place  my  wife  in  your 
power." 

"What's  that!" 

He  stares  at  me  savagely,  then  his  blue  eyes  light  up, 
—he  mutters  considerately.  "  It  does  seem  hard  for  a 
man  to  fight  to  put  a  halter  on  his  loved  one."  Next 
with  incisive  voice  he  says  quickly  :  "Though  I  had 
sworn  never  to  forgive  her — you  know  the  awful  thing 


262  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

she  did — 111 — I'll  pardon  your  wife  if  she  takes  the  oath 
of  allegiance  ! — and  you  succeed'1 

"Mr.  Secretary,"  I  cry,  "I  will  go  to  the  Rebel 
Capital !  " 

For  into  my  mind  has  suddenly  sprung  :  "My  wife 
is  in  Richmond.  Though  I  go  there  as  a  spy,  Eve 
cannot  betray  me ;  for  I  saved  her  when  she  was  in  a 
strait  as  dread  and  as  cruel  as  mine  will  be.  When 
next  I  see  her — my  oath  has  passed — then  she  can- 
not deny  me  the  love  of  a  wife." 

And  my  face,  made  gaunt  and  haggard  by  the  misery 
of  nearly  fourteen  months'  imprisonment,  has  such  a 
glow  of  rapture,  such  a  spark  of  hope  in  it  that  the 
Secretary  says:  "I  see  you'll  go  and  do  your  work, 
Major  Hamilton." — Noting  my  start  at  the  title,  he 
laughs  :  "You  at  least  should  have  Union  rank  equal 
to  your  Rebel  one,  I'll  try  to  get  it  for  you.  I  now  beg 
your  pardon  for  imprisoning  you  ;  for  I  see  in  your 
face  the  fire  of  patriotism  ! " 

But  he  also  sees  in  my  face  the  flame  of  love  I 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MAJOR  BILLY  HAMILTON,    C.   S.  A, 

"You  will  report  to  me  before  you  go  ;  but  the 
sooner  you  make  arrangements  to  start,  the  better. 
Any  money  or  transportation  you  may  want  will  be 
furnished  you,"  remarks  the  head  of  the  Federal  War 
Department. 

"  I  shall  require  two  days  to  make  my  preparations," 
I  say. 

"So  long?  "  he  asks  impatiently. 

"  Yes  ;  to  transform  myself  from  a  Union  to  a  Con- 
federate officer.  For  I  shall  take  every  precaution,  as 
no  man  will  go  South  of  the  Potomac  with  a  tighter 
noose  upon  his  neck  than  I  will,  Mr.  Secretary." 

With  this  idea  in  my  head,  I  step  out  of  the  War 
Office,  and  make  my  preparations  with  corresponding 
pare  and  accurac)r,  but  very  secretly  and  very  prirately. 

From  my  papers  I  get  out  the  old  Confederate  com' 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  263 

mission.  Fortunately,  time  has  made  its  paper  slightly 
yellow.  I  increase  this,  and  give  it  the  appearance  of 
having  been  constantly  in  my  pocketbook  by  fraying 
its  creases,  by  staining  it  with  water,  salt  and  fresh,  by 
even  rubbing  it  with  mud  in  one  corner,  indorsing 
on  its  back,  in  military  form,  my  acceptance  of  it, 
dating  this  1862,  and  exposing  it  to  long  but  moderate 
heat  to  give  my  writing  the  appearance  of  time. 

On  the  Rebel  uniform  made  for  me  by  my  sisters,  I 
impress  the  appearance  of  having  suffered  the  hardships 
of  war. 

My  preparations,  which  have  to  be  made  gradually, 
especially  those  in  regard  to  my  uniform  and  my 
Confederate  commission,  take  me  all  of  two  days.  It 
is  during  this  time  that  cruel  military  disaster  over- 
takes Mr.  Finnaker,  of  the  United  States  Quartermaster- 
General's  office. 

On  my  first  release  from  the  Old  Capitol  prison,  the 
little  patriot  had  fought  shy  of  me.  But  learning  in 
some  way  that  I  am  lo  receive  additional  rank  in  the 
Union  army,  he  begins  to  be  chummy  once  more, 
coming  into  my  room  and  smoking  my  cigars  and 
prattling  vivaciously  of  "what  we  are  going  to  do 
with  the  Rebs." 

On  one  of  these  occasions  he  is  holding  forth  with 
great  patriotic  ardor.  "By  Bunker  Hill,  sir,  we've  got 
Grant  with  us  now — that  Western  hero — and  he'll  go 
at  'em  hammer  and  tongs  !  He  doesn't  care  for  a  few 
lives  ;  he  puts  his  men  in  and  fights  to  a  finish,  he  does  ; 
just  as  I  would  if  I  were  in  command.  If  ten  thousand 
men  are  slaughtered,  what  does  it  matter,  when  the 
country  is  at  stake  ?  If  ten  thousand  men  more  are 
butchered — we've  got  lots — who  counts  the  cost,  so 
long  as  we  save  the  Union  ?  I  must  go  down  to  the 
front  with  Grant ;  I  haven't  fought  since  Gettysburg. 
If  you  don't  believe  me,  ask  Gushing,  who  died  in  my 
arms  as  he  fired  his  last  gun  into  the  faces  of  Pickett's 
Rebs.  But  then — God  help  us  all — my  brother-in-arms, 
poor  Gushing,  is  dead." 

"Well,"  I  reply,  "here's  something  that  may  interest 
you.  It  is  apparently  on  military  matters,  and  comes 
from  Illinois.  The  servant-girl  gave  it  me  in  the 
hall  for  you.  Something  from  your  company,  eh, 
Finnaker?" 


264  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Oh — ah,  yes!  of  course — about  my  company!" 
he  stammers,  apparently  astounded  that  he  should  re- 
ceive a  written  communication  from  his  command  of 
one — which  is  himself,  in  Washington. 

Then  as  Finnaker  opens  an  official  envelope, 
stamped  with  the  arms  of  Illinois,  and  inspects  an  of- 
ficial paper  bearing  the  State  seal,  something  horrible 
seems  to  happen  to  the  patriot ;  his  face  grows  ashen 
pale  ;  the  paper  falls  from  his  grasp  ;  with  a  low  gasp- 
ing "Good  Lord!  I'm  drafted!"  he  sinks  half  para- 
lyzed upon  a  sofa. 

Picking  it  up,  I  read  a  short  notice  stating  that  he 
not  being  present,  the  name  of  Napoleon  Leonidas  Fin- 
naker had  been  drawn  by  the  United  States  Marshal 
at  the  last  draft ;  that  he  is  ordered  to  report  himself 
immediately  for  active  service,  he  having  been  as- 
signed to  fill  up  the  ranks  of  the  Twenty-Seventh 
Illinois,  now  serving  in  McPherson's  Army  of  the 
Tennessee. 

"My  God  !  You  see  I — I'm  drafted — drafted  to  fill 
the  place  of  a  dead  man  !  By  the  God  of  War,  Hamil- 
ton, DRAFTED  !  And  the  slaughter  is  so  awful  that  sub- 
stitutes are  only  for  millionaires.  DRAFTED !  O 
Shadow  of  Death,  to  be  drafted  is  to  be  KILLED  !  " 

"  Well,  you'll  have  a  chance  to  teach  the  art  of  war 
to  McPherson.  You'll  have  to  go  to  the  front  I  "  I  sug- 
gest grimly. 

"To  the  front?  We'll  see  if  I  have.  Not  by  the 
tears  of  my  widowed  mother  !  Drafted  into  'Fighting 
McPherson's  '  corps,  who  leads  his  men  against  the 
Rebel  guns  as  if  they  were  so  many  rats  in  a  trap. 
DRAFTED  1  Call  an  ambulance  !  I — I  don't  feel  quite 
well." 

And  really  he  is  awfully  sick,  and  we  have  to  get  an 
ambulance  and  send  him  to  the  military  hospital,  done 
well  nigh  unto  death  by  a  paper  pellet,  before  his  first 
engagement. 

But  I  haven't  time  to  stay  in  Washington  to  see  the 
outcome  of  Mr.  Finnaker's  sufferings  for  his  country, 
and  report  myself  at  the  War  Office,  where  I  state  to 
Mr.  Stanton  my  plans. 

"Understand  me,  Major,"  says  the  secretary,  "I 
can  get  all  the  rubbishy,  inaccurate  information  I 
want.  What  I  wish  from  you  is  a  military  report  of 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  265 

the  defences  of  Richmond,  about  what  you  estimate 
its  garrison  will  probably  be  when  Lee  masses  his 
whole  army  to  oppose  Grant,  and  what  the  chances  of 
a  rapid  coup  de  main  will  be  against  that  place  and 
Belle  Isle  prison  by  a  quick-moving  cavalry  force." 

"  I  understand  you,  perfectly,  Mr.  Secretary,"  I 
reply. 

"Very  well,  then,  you'd  better  see  Baker  about  the 
details." 

I  do  so,  and  obtain  orders  for  transportation,  a  sup- 
ply of  Confederate  money  and  a  general  letter  instruct- 
ing every  officer  of  Federal  troops  to  further  my  mission 
in  any  way  in  his  power. 

Armed  with  this,  I  take  boat  from  Washington  to 
Norfolk,  judging  it  best  to  journey  towards  the  Confed- 
erate capital  as  if  coming  from  North  Carolina,  as  less 
questions  will  be  asked  me,  travelling  from  that  direc- 
tion, than  if  I  approach  Richmond  from  the  line  of  the 
Potomac. 

I  have  carefully  thought  over  my  chances  in  the 
matter.  The  risk  of  detection  by  Confederates  who 
have  known  me  as  Captain  Billy  Hamilton  of  the 
United  States  Service  has  been  almost  swept  away  by 
the  awful  slaughter  of  the  last  year.  Wat  Bowie  has 
died  in  Maryland.  George  Thornton,  who  had  spent 
the  two  days  with  me  at  Frederick,  has  fallen  gallantly 
in  the  great  cavalry  fight  at  Brandy  Station  ;  and  half 
of  my  old  classmates  at  West  Point,  who  had  entered 
the  Confederate  army,  are  either  dead  or  disabled.  So 
I,  early  on  Wednesday  morning,  the  3d  of  February, 
1864,  cross  from  Norfolk  to  the  Navy  Yard  at  Ports- 
mouth, and  take  the  road,  escorted  by  a  sergeant  and 
squad  of  cavalry,  towards  Suffolk,  where  the  Union 
lines  end  and  the  Confederacy  begins. 

Arriving  at  this  place,  and  passing  the  very  last 
Federal  outpost,  in  fact  journeying  some  quarter  of  a 
mile  beyond  it,  the  sergeant,  having  his  strict  orders, 
salutes  me  and  turns  about  his  squad. 

"Understand  me,"  I  remark  to  him.  "An  hour 
from  now  you  come  here,  enter  that  grove,  and  take 
away  what  you  find  left  there." 

"Certainly,  Major;  those  are  my  instructions,"  re- 
plies the  non-commissioned  officer,  and  trots  away 
with  his  troop,  along  a  road  whose  mud  is  changing 


f66  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

into  dust,  for  the  weather  is  mild  and  little  rain  has 
fallen  lately. 

The  squad  of  cavalry  have  no  sooner  got  out  of  sight 
than  I  leap  my  horse  over  a  broken-down  rail  fence 
and  ride  into  the  little  grove  of  trees  and  swamp 
undergrowth.  In  the  seclusion  of  an  alder  thicket,  I 
make  a  quick  and  effective  toilet,  leaving  every  ves- 
tige of  Unionism  behind  me,  and  half  an  hour  after- 
wards, where  the  Yankee  major  had  ridden  in,  a  Con- 
federate major  rides  forth  and  takes  his  way  by  country 
roads  through  the  lowland  counties  of  Virginia,  arriv- 
ing that  evening,  by  way  of  the  miserable  hamlet 
called  Washed  Holes,  at  a  more  important  town  named 
Jerusalem. 

My  journey  has  been  uneventful,  for  the  whole 
country  bears  the  traces  of  having  been  foraged  over 
by  both  sides.  A  few  negroes  are  in  the  roads,  and  I 
pass  one  or  two  farmers  ;  but  they  only  return  the  com- 
pliments of  the  season. 

I  also  pass  without  difficulty  a  Rebel  vidette  of 
cavalry,  my  uniform  apparently  answering  for  me, 
the  lieutenant  in  command  after  a  few  questions  salut- 
ing, and  asking  pleasantly:  "Where  are  you  bound 
for,  Major?" 

To  this  I  answer:  "Richmond!"  stating  I've  been 
down  towards  Gatesville,  looking  up  both  cattle  and 
timber  for  army  uses. 

The  country  tavern  in  Jerusalem  also  indicates  I  am 
in  a  land  of  war.  I  pay  thirty  dollars  in  Confederate 
currency  for  a  bed  (the  title  to  which  I  have  to  dis- 
pute with  numerous  live  stock),  and  two  miserable 
meals. 

Fortunately,  I  get  plenty  of  fodder  and  corn  for  my 
horse,  whose  comfort  I  look  after  personally ;  for 
Roderick  must  be  kept  in  good  condition ;  upon  his 
strength  and  fleetness  may  depend  my  life. 

The  next  morning,  getting  up  betimes,  I  jog  along 
the  same  kind  of  country  roads  to  Hicksford,  a  little 
town  on  the  Petersburg  &  Weldon  Railroad. 

As  I  have  journeyed  on,  greater  evidences  of  being 
in  a  nation  in  its  death-struggle  have  reached  me. 
There  are  even  fewer  cattle  ;  nothing  but  negroes  are 
seen  in  the  fields,  and  the  appearance  of  the  railroad 
at  this  point  indicates  that  it  is  on  its  last  legs  also ; 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  267 

that  is,  if  dilapidated  rolling-stock  and  a  most  execrable 
roadbed  with  worn-out  rails  indicate  railroad  ineffect- 
iveness. 

An  hour  after  my  arrival  a  train  comes  in  with  a 
regiment  of  Confederate  troops  bound  north.  Though 
the  men  are  mostly  bareheaded  and  some  barefooted, 
and  a  few  of  them  even  say  they  are  hungry,  they  go 
off  as  anxious  to  meet  the  Yankees  as  ever. 

While  this  train  is  in  Hicksford,  the  problem  is  forced 
upon  me:  "Shall  I  ride  Roderick  into  Richmond,  or 
journey  there  by  railroad  ;  for  the  conductor  tells  me 
he  can  get  me  a  place  on  one  of  the  cars. 

After  a  moment's  consideration,  though  it  would  be 
perhaps  safer  for  me  to  journey  by  rail,  especially  over 
the  bridges  that  cross  the  James  River  I  conclude  to 
endure  a  two  days'  delay  and  ride  my  horse  into  the 
Rebel  capital — because  I  may  wish  to  ride  him  out 
again  in  a  hurry. 

Therefore,  after  spending  a  rather  sleepless  night  at 
Hicksford,  I  press  on  by  country  roads  and  succeed 
in  reaching  Petersburg  late  on  Friday  afternoon. 

I  put  up  at  Jarratt's  tavern,  I  think  they  called  it,  and 
getting  Roderick  a  good  feed,  about  eight  o'clock  the 
next  morning  I  say  to  myself,  a  quiver  in  my  voice  : 
"This  afternoon,  Richmond  1 "  and  my  heart  gives 
a  big  jump — as  what  man's  wouldn't  ? 

I  have  experienced  no  trouble  thus  far,  my  military 
appearance  making  the  country  people  friendly  and 
preventing  awkward  questions.  In  fact,  for  a  young 
man  not  to  wear  a  uniform  would  excite  comment ; 
nearly  every  one  seems  now  to  be  connected  with  the 
Confederate  service,  and  the  nearer  I  get  to  Richmond 
the  more  general  this  becomes.  No  better  disguise 
could  I  have  on  its  face  than  that  of  a  major  in  the 
Confederate  army,  especially  with  a  major's  commis- 
sion en  regie  in  my  pocket  to  back  up  my  assertions,  if 
these  were  necessary. 

So  I  ride  on  ;  with  every  stride  of  my  steed,  thinking: 
not  "Nearer  to  the  Rebel  capital,"  but  "Nearer  to — 
my  wife  !  "  I  am  forgetting  I'm  a  Union  spy  ;  I  am 
becoming  simply  a  man  journeying  to  the  embraces 
of  his  loved  one  and  the  delights  of  home  and 
spouse. 

Filled  with  these  feelings,  quite  early  in  the  after- 


268  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

noon,  I  reach  the  little  town  of  Manchester,  and  look- 
ing across  the  James  River  that  is  pouring  over  its  rocks 
and  round  its  pretty  islands,  gaze  at  Richmond,  on  its 
hills  that  slope  down  to  the  broad  stream. 

Here  I  devote  an  hour  or  two  to  finding  out  what  I 
can  of  the  fortifications  south  of  the  river  and  Belle  Isle, 
the  prison  camp  of  captured  Union  troops.  This  is  on 
an  island  about  a  mile  above  the  bridges  and  near  the 
Manchester  shore.  I  note  that  this  is  guarded  only  by 
a  low  earth  embankment  and  wooden  stockade  and  that 
there  are,  as  well  as  I  can  discover,  only  two  batteries 
of  importance  immediately  south  of  Richmond.  These 
observations,  I  make  as  complete  as  I  dare,  and  take 
my  way  across  Mayo's  bridge. 

A  considerable  number  of  people,  mostly  military, 
though  a  few  of  them  are  civilians,  are  going  in  with 
me  to  the  Confederate  capital.  I  have  prepared  a 
forged  leave  of  absence  from  General  Hardee  in 
Tennessee,  but  it  is  scarcely  glanced  at.  The  guards 
at  the  bridge,  noting  my  uniform,  simply  salute  me  ; 
though  I  perceive  they  examine  much  more  closely 
those  in  the  dress  of  the  farmer,  the  artisan  or  the 
merchant. 

I  have  never  been  in  Richmond,  therefore  in  Wash- 
ington I  have  obtained  an  accurate  map  of  the  city  from 
the  United  States  Secret  Service,  together  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  its  various  hotels,  restaurants  and  principal 
thoroughfares.  From  this  I  have  memorized  the  main 
details  of  the  place,  so  that  I  can  go  about  without 
asking  too  many  questions.  Having  mentally  pho- 
tographed Richmond,  I  have  then  destroyed  the 
map. 

In  addition  to  this  information,  I  have  also  received 
instructions  from  the  United  States  Secret  Service  to 
communicate  if  necessary,  with  one,  Lemuel  Isaacs, 
who  keeps  a  small  store  in  a  broken-down  suburb  of 
the  city,  called  "The  Rockets." 

"You  whisper  in  Mr.  Isaac's  ear  'Cotton  is  twenty 
pence  a  pound  in  Manchester,  England,'"  Baker  had 
said  to  me,  "and  he  will  reply  to  you  'So  help  me 
gracious,  it  is  only  five  cents  a  pound  in  Wilmington, 
North  Carolina.'  After  that  introduction,  trust  in 
Isaacs  as  you  would  in  me." 

Fortified  with  this  information  and  instruction,  I  put 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  269 

up.  at  *he  old  Monumental  Hotel,  opposite  Capital 
Square  and  on  the  corner  of  Grace  and  Ninth  streets, 
not  caring  to  register  at  the  more  fashionable  and 
better  known  Spottswood,  where  too  many  Confederate 
officers  may  be  lounging  about  and  too  many  of  the 
reporters  of  the  Richmond  Bee,  Examiner,  or  Despatch 
may  be  dropping  in  for  news  items  ;  but  still  wishing 
to  select  a  place  at  which  a  Confederate  major  might 
creditably  live,  for  all  this  journey  I  have  kept  strictly 
to  my  rank  in  that  service. 

Therefore,  simply  stating  that  I  have  been  on  staff 
and  recruiting  duties  in  Georgia,  I  walk  up  to  the  office 
of  that  hostelry  and  register  :  Major  W.  F.  Hamilton, 
C.  S.  A.,  Atlanta,  and  find  myself  living,  not  luxurious 
ly,  but  at  the  rate  of  nearly  fifty  dollars  a  day,  Confed- 
erate money. 

My  pen  trembles  slightly  as  I  write  my  title.  For  I, 
with  every  move,  am  putting  the  halter  tighter  and 
tighter  around  my  neck.  Once  suspected,  every  man 
and  every  woman's  hand  in  all  this  city  will  be 
against  me — save  my  wife's.  She,  I  hope,  will  be 
true  to  one  who  has  shielded  her  in  similar  extrem- 
ity. 

But  how  shall  I  find  her?  How  shall  I  tell  her  I  am 
here  ? 

Though  Eve  is  foremost  in  my  mind,  I  first  address 
myself  to  the  commission  on  which  I  have  been  sent 
by  Mr.  Stanton,  and  after  some  consideration  conclude 
that  to  do  this  effectively  it  is  best  for  me  to  see  the 
gentleman  at  "The  Rockets." 

Taking  my  way  along  Main  Street,  the  sidewalks  of 
which  are  quite  filled  by  an  afternoon  crowd,  which  1 
inspect  with  hungry  eyes,  always  looking  for  one  face, 
one  form,  my  wife's,  I  am  soon  tramping  through  the 
unkempt  streets  of  what  is  probably  the  lowest  quarter 
of  Richmond. 

For  ' '  The  Rockets  "  of  that  day  was  the  home  of  the 
criminal  classes,  contrabandists  of  all  degrees  made  it 
their  lurking-place,  Federal  spies  and  escapes  from 
military  conscription  found  temporary  safety  in  its 
dark  and  dirty  shanties  ;  though  these  were  leavened 
by  a  good  many  workmen  irom  big  tobacco  ware- 
houses and  flour  mills  in  the  neighborhood  and  on  the 
river. 


*7°  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

It  is  not  a  very  large  suburb  of  Richmond  I  soon 
find  the  sign  of 

LEM  ISAACS, 

NOTIONS,   PROVISIONS    AND  CLOTHING. 

Isaacs's  is  apparently  a  Cheap  John  store ;  though  in 
peaceful  days,  it  would  hardly  seem  to  be  a  bargain 
counter ;  for  I  see  placarded  up  in  large  letters : 
"Good  boots,  made  of  real  leather,  Dirt  Cheap,  $175." 
"Genuine  Woollen  Stockings,  just  by  blockade,  $14. 
These  we  guarantee  not  to  be  Yankee  shoddy." 
"Corn  per  bushel  $10.  Good  family  hams,  $225." 

As  I  enter  confronts  me  :  "Buy  quick  \  This  over- 
coat has  just  been  marked  UP  from  $225  to  $300. 
Things  is  RISING  1 " 

In  the  dark  interior  of  the  dimly  lighted  store  I 
inquire  for  Mr.  Lemuel  Isaacs  ;  though  that  seems  un- 
necessary, as  there  are  no  customers,  and  only  one 
person  is  in  the  establishment.  He  is  of  big  black  eyes 
and  large  hooked  nose,  and  comes  to  me  rubbing  his 
oily  hands  andsaying  :  "  Vat  can  I  do  for  you?  Does 
you  vant  a  fust-class  army  overcoat  I've  just  had  dyed." 
He  shows  me  one  of  a  grizzled  black.  "Three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars.  It  was  damned  Yankee  blue 
once  ;  now  it  is  patriotic  gray." 

"No,"  I  reply.  "I  only  want  to  see  Mr.  Lemuel 
Isaacs. " 

"  Dat's  my  name,  mein  friend." 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Isaacs/' I  whisper  to  him.  "I 
"just  dropped  in  to  inform  you  that  cotton  is  twenty 
pence  a  pound  in  Manchester,  England." 

At  this  the  Hebrew's  eyes  grow  big  and  gleam 
affrighted  ;  his  nose,  which  is  large,  becomes  larger 
and  dilated  ;  his  florid  complexion  grows  as  white  as 
the  only  sack  of  flour  in  his  store,  which  is  marked 
"Cheap  at  $i  a  pound."  He  looks  me  all  over  from 
head  to  foot ;  then  his  voice  trembles  as  he  whispers 
in  return  :  "So  help  me  gracious,  cotton  is  only  five 
cents  in  Vilmington,  North  Carolina  ;"  next,  his  eyes 
growing  watery  with  agitation,  mutters  :  "  Vat  else 
does  you  want  of  me  ?  " 

And  he  trembles  as  an  aspen  leaf,  as  I  whisper  to 
him,  my  voice  low  and  trembling  also  :  "I  must  know 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  27! 

the  number  of  troops  here  that  are  permanent  in  gar- 
rison ;  not  those  that  are  passing  through.  Home- 
guards,  Boys'  Company,  Battalion  of  Department  Em- 
ployees, etc.  You  understand." 

"  Holy  Moses,  1  onderstands.  You  likes  to  play  vid 
a  man's  life  1  "  he  returns.  "But  I  vill  find  out  for 
you  by  to-morrow  ;  and  you  can  bet  yer  life  on  what 
I  tells  you,  Major." 

"You  can't  give  it  to  me  sooner?  " 

"Impossible — to  be  dead  right.  And  I  s'pose  you 
vant  it  straight  as  a  trial  balance." 

"  Yes  ;  otherwise  you'd  better  never  let  a  muiual 
friend  of  ours  get  his  hand  upon  you." 

"  Yes,  I  understand.  If  de  Rebs  don't  put  me 
through,  de  Yanks  vill  make  it  hot  for  me.  Veil,  I 
know  which  side  is  going  to  win.  To-morrow  is 
Sunday  ;  dis  store  is  closed  ;  it  vouldn't  do  for  you  to 
come  here.  Meet  me  on  the  road  by  the  bank  of  the 
James  River  Canal  below  Butcherstown.  At  three 
p.  M.  I  am  dere,  vid  what  you  vant — not  on  paper, but  by 
passing  visper.  Look  out  for  yourself;  dat  Winder'll 
be  hell  on  you  if  you's  cotched  !  " 

I  know  this.  I  have  heard  of  the  Confederate  Pro- 
vost Marshal's  mercy  to  spies  before.  "All  right,"  I 
answer.  "Three  p.  M.,  canal  bank,"  and  purchase 
from  him  some  clean  linen  at  Shylock's  prices,  as  I 
have  brought  nothing  into  Richmond  with  me,  and,  in 
addition,  think  it  wise  to  carry  from  his  store  some 
package  to  give  reason  for  my  entering  it.  Then  I  go 
away,  determined  to  attempt  to  obtain  by  my  own 
observation  the  knowledge  of  which  I  am  in  search. 

It  is  now  quite  late  in  the  day.  I  pick  up  what  in- 
formation I  can,  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Monumental, 
as  to  Home  Guards,  the  Employees'  Battalion,  the  Boys' 
Company,  etc.,  for  the  Confederacy  apparently  is  rob- 
bing not  only  the  grave,  but  the  cradle,  for  food  for 
powder.  So  by  the  time  I  get  to  bed  I  have  obtained 
a  pretty  general  idea  of  the  permanent  Richmond  gar- 
rison ;  so  much  so  that  I  think  I  have  something 
to  tell  Mr.  Stanton  that  will  please  that  potentate  greatly. 

But  to  encourage  gossip  I  have  to  gossip  myself, 
and  am  compelled  in  chatting  with  my  associates  of 
the  Monumental  bar-room,  over  our  whiskey,  two  dol- 
lars per  drink,  to  give  greater  detail  to  my  proceedings 


372  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

in  Georgia  than  under  the  circumstances  I  would  wish. 
I  have  also  learned  that  beautiful  Mrs.  Hamilton  is 
one  of  the  belles  of  Richmond. 

"A  namesake  of  yours,  Major?"  remarks  an  old, 
white-headed  department  clerk  who  with  senile  curi- 
osity has  read  my  name  in  the  register.  "A  relative?" 

"Weil,  yes,"  I  answer.      "By  marriage,  of  course." 

Still  all  the  time  I  feel,  even  as  I  take  drinks  with 
the  few  lounging  Confederate  officers  and  one  or  two 
clerks  of  the  Rebel  War  Department  who  have  dropped 
into  this  tavern,  which  is  cheaper  than  the  Spottswood, 
that  I  am  placing  a  tighter  noose  about  my  neck  than 
ever  man  selected  and  lived." 

But  to-morrow  will  be  Sunday.  I  know  enough  of 
Eve's  religious  devotion  to  be  sure  one  of  the  Episcopal 
churches  will  have  her  lovely  form  among  its  worship- 
pers. TO-MORROW  I  SHALL  SEE  MY  WIFE  1 

This  thought  makes  the  Union  spy's  heart  beat  high 
and  puts  a  flush  of  joy  and  rapture  on  his  face,  even  in 
the  dangers  of  the  Rebel  capital. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

BY    DAY    IN    RICHMOND. 

THAT  night  I  hardly  sleep,  and  the  next  morning  am 
up  betimes.  I  mount  Roderick,  and  riding  about  the 
city,  take  cursory  views  of  its  defences,  photographing 
them  in  my  mind  as  I  move  along,  for  I  dare  not 
pause  to  make  any  close  inspection.  As  I  entered 
Richmond  the  day  before  I  had  noted  that  there  were 
only  two  forts  of  importance  south  of  the  city  on  the 
other  side  of  the  James,  one  at  Magruder's  Hill  and  the 
other,  Battery  18.  In  all  other  directions  the  capital, 
I  now  find  both  by  personal  observation  and  reports  I 
have  picked  up — the  careless  conversation  of  an  artil- 
lery officer  at  the  tavern  at  Petersburg  having  been  of 
aid  to  me — is  much  better  protected. 

On  the  east,  north  and  northwest  sides  of  the  city 
are  sixteen  batteries,  known  by  their  numbers,  some 
of  them  of  great  defensive  strength,  also  Forts  Jackson 
and  Johnston.  These,  properly  manned,  make  Rich- 
mond pretty  safe  from  armies  moving  from  the  Poto- 
mac, the  Shenandoah  or  Fortress  Monroe, 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  273 

"South  of  the  James  River  is  their  weak  point,"  I 
think.  "There  they  depend  too  much  on  Petersburg 
and  the  batteries  down  the  river,  which  would  be  of 
no  avail  against  a  quick  cavalry  raid  coming  from  the 
west,  but  south  of  the  James,  if  the  bridges  can  be 
seized  in  time." 

Therefore  I  turn  my  attention  to  the  bridges  on  the 
river  and  the  batteries  commanding  them. 

My  inspection,  cursory  as  it  is,  takes  me  till  half-past 
ten  o'clock — church-time  / 

I  return  to  the  Monumental,  quite  confident  my  ride 
has  attracted  no  unusual  notice  ;  too  many  other 
Confederate  officers  are  out  on  horseback,  as  the  city 
seems  quite  full  of  troops  ;  though  most  of  these  ap- 
pear to  be  en  route  for  the  north,  for  even  this  morning 
three  regiments  have  taken  trains  on  the  Richmond  & 
Fredericksburg  Railroad. 

At  the  hotel  I  improve  my  toilet  as  well  as  a  clothes- 
brush  will  dissipate  the  dust  and  mud  of  Virginia  roads, 
and  looking  at  my  well-worn  uniform,  am  quite  con- 
fident I  am  about  as  much  of  a  dandy  as  the  most  of 
the  officers  in  Richmond  ;  for  the  Rebel  gray  has  grown 
gradually  shabby  since  1861. 

Suddenly  the  church  bells  begin  to  ring.  Then  oh, 
how  my  heart  begins  to  beat  too  !  For  they  sing 
to  me.  "Soon  I  shall  see  her  !"  I  am  no  more  the 
skulking  spy,  with  the  hand  of  military  justice  over 
him  ;  I  am  only  a  lover  who  is  going  to  a  sweetheart's 
kisses — a  husband  who  is  nearing  his  wife's  arms. 

I  have  already  determined  to  what  church  Eve  will 
probably  go.  It  will  surely  be  an  Episcopal  one. 
Fortunately  for  my  quest,  there  are  not  many  of 
them.  Saint  Paul's,  which  I  am  informed  is  the 
fashionable  parish,  where  the  Rev.  Charles  Minne- 
gerod  will  preach,  and  Saint  John's,  the  old-fashioned 
one  in  the  Colonial  Cemetery,  with  its  quaint  grave- 
stones of  the  last  century,  upon  Church  Hill  seem  the 
only  likely  ones. 

The  first  of  these  is  in  the  heart  of  the  town,  just 
across  Grace  Street  from  my  hotel,  and  will  probably 
be  the  one  in  which  Eve  will  worship.  If  not,  I  must 
contrive  to  leave  before  the  end  of  the  service  and  try 
the  other. 

St  Paul's  bells  are  sounding  as  I  step  over  to  it,  but 


274  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

to  me  they  do  not  seem  as  loud  as  the  thumping  of  my 
own  heart.  Still,  perchance,  no  more  devout  creature 
ever  entered  that  old-time  Episcopal  Church  and  bowed 
before  its  altar  than  Major  Billy  Hamilton  of  the  Confed- 
erate service,  for  no  man,  even  with  the  guns  of  battle 
sounding  in  his  ears — and  there  were  many  of  those 
who  worshipped  in  Richmond  in  those  days — ever  felt 
the  Angel  of  Death  was  nearer  to  him. 

The  church  is  just  beginning  to  fill,  but  at  my  request 
I  am  assigned  to  a  seat  in  one  of  the  rear  pews.  My 
eyes  immediately  scan  the  backs  of  the  ladies  who  are 
already  seated  ;  Eve  certainly  is  not  yet  here. 

So  I  sit  and  wait,  the  organ  sounding  softly  to  me 
as  the  congregation  gradually  enter,  quite  a  number  of 
the  gentlemen  being  in  civilians'  dress,  members  of  the 
Confederate  Congress  and  officials  in  the  State  and 
Treasury  Departments. 

"Will  she  never  come ? " 

Then  an  awful  doubt  seizes  me.  Perhaps  my  wife 
is  not  in  Richmond  this  day.  Perchance  she  is  sick? 
Perhaps — a  hundred  things  may  keep  her  from  the 
House  of  God  on  this  Sunday  of  all  Sundays  ! 

So  I  sit,  my  heart  growing  more  despondent,  for  the 
church  is  now  quite  full.  The  President  of  the  Confed- 
eracy and  Mrs.  Davis  have  just  arrived  and  gone  into 
their  pew,  I  note  by  a  few  whispered  words  that  drift 
to  me. 

Perhaps  I  had  better  walk  out  before  the  service  be- 
gins, and  go  to  St.  John's  Church. 

I  have  half  risen  in  my  pew,  which  is  at  the  very  rear 
of  the  church,  to  step  out  I 

Through  swinging  doors,  I  hear  a  lady  in  the  vestibule 
say:  "Good-morning,  Mrs.  Hamilton;  your  aunt  is 
not  here  ?  " 

Another  voice  floats  to  me,  and  my  heart  stops  beat- 
ing. I  know  the  silvery  tones  ;  they  have  whispered 
to  me  :  "  Billy,  I  love  you  ! "  too  often  for  me  to  forget 
them.  Eve  is  answering  :  "  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Con- 
way  ;  my  aunt  is  in  Petersburg." 

Then  she  enters  ! 

I  dare  not  turn  and  look  her  in  the  face  ;  but  her  gar- 
ments brush  me  as  she  passes,  I  devour  with  my  eyes 
the  back  of  her  graceful  head  as  she  floats  up  the  aisle. 

And  then,  oh,  how  I  grind  my  teeth,  for  an  infernally 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  »7$ 

handsome,  dashing  Confederate  lieutenant-colonel  is 
walking  beside  her. 

I  know  I  have  no  right  to  be  jealous.  Have  I  not 
looked  at  pretty  girls  in  these  fifteen  months?  Why 
should  not  she  have  a  masculine  escort — this  morn- 
ing? "  Would  you  make  her  in  her  beauty,  a  nun,  you 
fool?"  I  growl  to  myself.  But  still — still  I'd  sooner 
some  elderly  major-general  or  decrepit  statesman  were 
crawling  by  my  pretty  wife's  side,  than  this  youthful, 
erect,  dashing,  martial  figure,  who  seems  so  damnably 
familiar  with  her  ;  for  I  notice  him  select  the  Sunday's 
service  for  Eve  in  her  prayer-book  and  they  sit  quite 
close  together,  but  that  may  be  because  the  pew  is 
crowded  and  ladies'  hoop-skirts  take  up  as  much  room 
in  Richmond  as  they  do  in  Washington. 

Though  I  strain  my  eyes,  I  cannot  see  much  of  my 
wife  ;  she  being  some  six  pews  in  front  of  me,  but 
fortunately  not  in  a  direct  line. 

At  last  my  opportunity  arrives.  The  congregation 
is  about  to  rise  for  a  hymn.  Alert  with  love,  I  start 
up  so  as  to  get  view  of  Eve.  She  also,  inspired  by 
devotion,  rises  quickly. 

Whether  it  is  my  gaze  that  goes  straight  to  the 
back  of  her  head,  through  curls  and  waterfall,  I  know 
not  ;  but  the  girl  turns  slowly.  My  eager  glance 
catches  her  side-face  ;  it  seems  to  draw  her  beloved 
countenance  fully  round  to  me. 

I  note  the  same  nut-brown,  wavy  hair,  the  same 
delicate  play  of  features.  The  same  girl  I  loved  and 
won  and  lost  on  the  Potomac, is  here  standing  before 
me,  on  the  banks  of  the  James.  The  same  beautiful 
blue  eyes  that  I  have  dreamed  of  so  often  in  my  cell  in 
the  Old  Capitol  prison  are  looking  into  mine. 

My  glance  catches  her's.  Eye  to  eye,  we  gaze  upon 
and  know  each  other.  I  am  sure  of  that,  for  over 
those  radiant  features  for  one  instant  has  come  the 
pallid  hue  of  death.  The  next,  they  are  lighted  by  the 
sunny  rays  of  love. 

Then  probably  some  quick  idea  of  my  military 
danger  seems  to  strike  my  wife.  I  note  the  convul- 
sive quiver — a  little  hand  laid  on  her  heart.  She  turns 
from  me,  slowly  as  if  fighting  to  conceal  her  emotion, 
half  staggers,  and  convulsively  clasping  its  rail, 
droops  over  the  pew  in  front  of  her.  Those  near 


BILLY   HAMILTON. 

her  doubtless  think  it  is  devotion,  for  her  attitude  is 
willowy  as  a  saint's  ;  but  I  am  sure  it  is  because  she 
knows  there  is  a  husband  worshipping  with  her  before 
the  same  altar,  and  over  his  head  hang  danger  and 
death. 

After  this  I  hardly  note  my  surroundings.  A  great 
many  of  the  ladies  are  in  black.  This  I  had  expected  ; 
too  many  gallant  fellows  are  falling  for  women  not  to 
mourn.  The  minister's  sermon  comes  to  me  dreamily, 
though  it  is  impressive,  and  delivered  by  a  gentleman 
of  Grecian  features  and  soft  German  accent. 

The  music  from  the  organ  seems  to  thrill  me  in  a 
general  kind  of  way,  but  I  scarcely  hear  it,  being,  occu- 
pied in  trying  to  see  the  loved  figure  in  front  of  me. 
Once — yes  twice — I  notice  Eve  half  turns,  as  if  to  look 
on  me  again  ;  then,  apparently  by  a  mighty  effort, 
forces  herself  to  the  contemplation  of  her  ritual. 

And  all  the  time  I  am  praying,  harder  than  any  one 
else  in  this  church — praying  to  God  that  he  may  bless 
our  love — that  I  may  have  her  in  my  arms — a  wife — 
this  day  in  Richmond. 

The  service  and  sermon  are  over.  The  organ  is 
playing  the  voluntary,  and  I  step  out  of  the  church, 
taking  care  not  to  be  among  the  very  first,  but  still  de- 
cidedly in  advance  ot  my  wife.  I  do  not  wish  to  put 
any  greater  strain  or  self-repression  upon  her  than  pos- 
sible. My  nerves  have  been  braced  for  this — to  her  it 
must  have  come  suddenly  as  the  crack  of  doom. 

I  pass  into  the  vestibule,  which  is  crowded  with 
friends  meeting  friends,  and  boys  waiting  for  girls, 
just  as  if  gentle  peace  were  upon  the  land,  and 
the  soft  strains  of  "The  Bonnie  Blue  Flag"  were 
not  floating  up  the  hill  from  an  infantry  band  on  Main 
Street  where  a  Texas  regiment  is  tramping  through  the 
city  to  take  train  for  the  battle  fields  on  the  Rapidan. 

I  have  already,  while  in  my  pew,  scribbled  my 
address  on  a  leaf  of  my  pocketbook.  This  folded  up 
I  hold  ready  to  pass  to  Eve  if  possible, — as  a  single  un- 
fortunate word  may  bring  about  my  undoing.  For  I 
know  each  of  these  devout-looking  general  officers, 
and  every  one  of  these  dashing  young  military  men, 
would  think  he  had  done  a  very  good  Sunday's  work 
in  driving  his  sword  through  the  heart  of  Mr,  Stanton's 
agent  in  the  Virginia  capital 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  377 

Beautiful  girls  are  passing  by  me,  but  to  my  eyes 
there  is  only  one,  the  young  lady  who  is  coming 
behind  them.  Her  half-parted  lips  giving  out  quick 
breaths  of  repressed  joy  and  fear — her  virgin  heart 
fluttering — her  eyes  blazing  like  stars  with  quick  intel- 
ligence and  seeking  mine. 

Our  glances  meet ;  a  moment  later  in  the  crush  for 
one  instant  our  hands  clasp,  and  with  a  squeeze  of 
love  I  leave  in  my  wife's  trembling  fbigers  the  scrap 
of  paper  bearing  my  present  title  and  address. 

In  my  ear  as  she  passes  by  I  catch  a  lingering  sigh, 
"Billy." 

Suddenly  the  girl's  left  hand  is  held  up  to  her  face — 
for  some  reason  it  is  bereft  of  glove.  On  a  dainty  ringer 
I  see  gleam  the  diamond  of  our  troth,  above  the 
golden  circlet  that  has  made  Eve  mine  by  right  of  man 
and  God — and  I  am  happy. 

But  joys  are  fleeting.  A  moment  later  the  fixed 
look  leaves  her  exquisite  features.  Eve  seems  as 
brightly  coquettish  to  attendant  cavalier  as  she  did  in 
Washington.  "At  least,"  I  cogitate,  with  a  curse  in 
my  heart,  "  that  handsome  young  fellow  stepping  so 
debonairly  beside  her  imagines  she  is — to  him" 

"God  of  heaven  !  is  she  flirting  with  him?  He  looks 
so  cursedly  pleased  with  himself,  she  must  be  I" 

After  greeting  a  few  friends,  my  wife  moves  up  Ninth 
and  turns  along  Broad  Street  with  her  gallant  in  close 
proximity.  Once  she  turns  as  if  to  look  back,  but 
apparently  restrains  herself.  I  follow  at  some  little 
distance,  noting  her  step  is  as  light,  her  carriage  as 
graceful  and  her  figure  as  rounded  as  when  she  first 
enchanted  me — that  a  year  has  rather  added  to  her 
charms  than  taken  from  them,  and  fondly  think  :  "  All 
these  beauties  this  day  shall  belong  to  me,  her  hus- 
band!" 

Suddenly  a  spasm  of  rage  flies  through  me.  Eve  is 
crossing  Eighth  Street.  Her  facile  hand  has  slightly 
lifted  her  skirts  to  save  them  from  a  puddle  of  red 
Virginia  mud,  revealing  two  as  pretty  little  feet  as  ever 
tripped  Richmond's  streets.  A  passing  zephyr  plays 
pranks  with  her  crinoline,  giving  me  a  fleeting  glimpse 
of  a  limb  as  graceful  in  its  contour,  as  lovely  in  its 
superb  outlines  as  Venus's  very  own. 

"Great  Taylorl    Did  you  see  that?"  is  heard  be- 


278  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

hind  me.  "Didn't  I  tell  you  Eve  Hamilton  had  the 
prettiest  ankles  in  town  ?  " 

A  side-glance  shows  me  this  comes  from  some  boy 
department  clerk.  A  young  infantry  lieutenant,  scarcely 
older,  is  with  him.  He  laughs  :  "Yes,  I  saw.  She's 
almighty  beautiful.  It's  an  infernal  shame  she  has  a 
husband.  Where  is  old  Hamilton,  anyway?" 

"Darn  me  if  I  know!"  says  the  other.  "Though 
he'd  better  be  about.  That  cavalry  buck  there  is  with 
her  everywhere.  I  saw  him  take  her  into  the  dance  at 
Mrs.  Anderson's  last  week." 

"  Do  you  know  his  name?" 

"No;  he's  some  swell  cavalry  fellow.  He  runs 
with  the  Reeveses,  and  the  Mayos,  and  that  crowd." 

"Which  Jakie  Suggs  doesn't  run  with,"  laughs  the 
infantry  lieutenant ;  and  he  is  doubtless  right,  as  his 
companion  has  mentioned  the  names  of  some  of  the 
most  aristocratic  Richmond  families. 

But  these  remarks  are  not  comforting  to  me.  Ye 
gods,  how  "old  Hamilton"  wants  to  chastise  these 
young  insolents,  but  dares  not !.  Ah,  it  requires  a  cool 
head  to  win  in  this  game  of  love,  with  the  sword  above 
the  lover's  head. 

So  I  march  on  in  the  crowd,  a  considerable  distance 
behind  her ;  no  one  particularly  noticing  me,  uniforms 
being  the  rule,  civilian  dress  the  exception,  though  I 
hear  one  officer  remark  to  a  young  lady  :  "I  imagine 
he  must  be  from  some  of  the  new  troops  from  the 
Southwest." 

"Why?"  she  says,  half  laughing. 

"Well,  that  major  seems  over-fed,"  chuckles  the 
gentleman  grimly.  "He  hasn't  the  gaunt,  racing 
look  of  our  boys  at  the  front." 

As  the  crowd  drifts  apart,  some  going  off  at  Eighth 
Street,  others  disappearing  at  Seventh,  and  gradually 
becoming  less  and  less,  my  following  my  wife  and  her 
escort — her  gallant,  I  think  now — becomes  more  diffi- 
cult. 

But,  letting  them  get  ahead  of  me  about  a  block,  I 
note  they  turn  down  Fourth  Street.  Then  I  quicken 
my  steps,  and,  passing  the  corner  of  Broad  and  Fourth, 
look  hurriedly  down  towards  Grace  Street,  and  find — to 
my  dismay — they  have  disappeared. 

Eve  must  live  in  some   one  of  the  houses  in  the 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  279 

block  of  pretty,  old-fashioned  Virginia  residences,  but 
which  one?  That  I  cannot  immediately  determine,  as 
I  do  not  like  to  inquire.  She  has  my  address — I'll  hear 
from  her  at  my  hotel. 

I  hurry  back  to  the  Monumental  and  wait.  No  let- 
ter !  To  my  hints,  inquiries,  and  side-remarks,  the  few 
people  whom  I  succeed  in  engaging  in  conversation, 
give  me  no  satisfactory  information.  Nearly  all  have 
heard  of  the  beautiful  Mrs.  Hamilton  ;  but  none  know 
exactly  where  she  lives — they  are  not  in  her  class  in 
society.  If  I  dared  walk  up  to  the  Andersons,  the 
Mayos,  or  some  other  of  the  swells,  I  could  find  out  in 
a  minute.  I  go  in  to  dinner  at  the  hotel ;  I  can't 
stomach  its  eternal  pork  and  stringy  beef  and  bean 
coffee,  though  I  know  I  should  eat  to  keep  up  my 
strength  for  the  desperate  work  ahead  of  me. 

Suddenly,  looking  at  my  watch,  I  see  it  is  three 
o'clock.  At  half-past  I  must  meet  the  Jew  on  the 
banks  of  the  canal  below  Butchertown. 

Cursing  the  appointment,  I  depart  for  this  rendezvous. 
It  is  not  very  difficult  to  find.  Walking  along  Main 
Street  in  exactly  the  opposite  direction  to  the  one  I  had 
followed  in  going  to  "The  Rockets,"  in  the  course 
of  a  little  time  I  arrive  at  about  the  place  where  I  think 
Mr.  Isaacs  should  be. 

The  canal  is  busy,  even  on  Sunday.  Boats  are 
bringing  corn,  fodder,  and  a  few  cattle  into  the  capi- 
tal from  the  interior  of  Virginia.  Though  these  last,  I 
should  imagine  are  growing  scarce,  judging  by  the 
tough  beefsteaks  with  which  I  am  furnished  at  un- 
heard-of prices  at  my  hotel. 

Along  the  road  near  the  canal,  among  quite  a  little 
gathering  of  people,  who,  taking  advantage  of  the  fine 
day,  are  strolling  up  the  river,  I  soon  run  against  Mr. 
Isaacs.  That  gentleman  is  talking  to  some  chum  of 
his,  but  drops  him  at  my  approach  and  regards  me 
with  an  anxious  eye.  As  I  get  close  to  him  I  notice 
his  lips  are  trembling,  and  once  or  twice  he  nearly 
gasps  for  breath. 

I  remark  to  him  :  "  Is  the  price  of  cotton  in  Wil- 
mington to-day  the  same  as  it  was  yesterday?  " 

"Ah,  so  help  me,  it  is  always  the  same,  when  it  is— « 
What  price  is  it  in  Manchester?  " 

"Twenty  pence  a  pound." 


280  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"Yes  sir,  I  t'inks  youse  all  right.  Here  is  the  infor- 
mation," he  whispers  to  me  :  "Armory  Battalion  six 
hundred.  Department  clerks  enrolled,  six  hundred  and 
fifty  effective.  Boy  company — boys  under  age  for 
military  service — one  hundred  and  fifty.  Two  regi- 
ments of  heavy  artillery  in  de  forts  ;  they  may  be 
drawn  on,  and  there  may  be  a  brigade  left  here,  but  de 
rest  vil  all  go  to  the  front.  Perhaps  there'll  be  a  couple 
of  regiments  of  cavalry  somewhere  around,  scouting 
on  the  outside  of  the  city.  That's  as  veil  as  I  can  find 
out.  Don't  come  near  me  no  more." 

This  about  accords  with  what  information  I  had  ob- 
tained by  my  own  efforts. 

As  I  turn  to  go  away,  consternation  comes  upon  me. 

The  man  who  had  been  walking  with  Isaacs,  and  who 
had  moved  away  from  him  as  I  approached,  suddenly 
returns  to  us. 

Our  eyes  meet.  God  of  heaven  !  it  is  Shook,  the 
United  States  Secret  Service  officer — the  one  who  had 
cursed  me  for  having  caused  him  to  lose  his  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  reward — the  one  who  had  sworn  to  "do  " 
me  to  death. 

"By  the  Eternal!"  he  mutters,  then  suddenly 
guffaws:  "Oh,  Gee  Whizz!"  as  he  glances  at  my 
Confederate  uniform.  With  this  a  sudden  devilish 
lurid  glint  comes  into  his  gray,  unforgiving  eyes,  and 
I  know  that,  though  Joe  Shook  will  not  compromise 
himself,  in  some  cunning  way  he  means  to  betray  me 
to  Confederate  Military  justice, — that  Major  Billy 
Hamilton  of  the  C.  S.  A.  is  a  dead  man  if  he  doesn't 
save  himself,  and  do  it  very  promptly. 

In  a  dazed  kind  of  funk,  I  have  moved  a  few  steps 
away  ;  the  Secret  Service  man  is  chuckling  to  himself 
in  a  low  and  horrid  tone. 

A  squad  of  Confederate  cavalry,  part  of  the  provost- 
guard,  headed  by  a  young  lieutenant,  is  cantering  along 
the  road.  The  officer  greets  my  uniform  with  a 
salute. 

With  this  salute  comes  sudden  inspiration.  I  have 
the  power  of  my  uniform  and  rank.  "  Halt  your  de* 
tachment,  Lieutenant!"  I  cry.  "I  have  work  for 
you." 

The  young  officer  pulls  up  his  horse  like  a  flash, 
touches  his  hat  and  says  :  "Your  orders,  Major." 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  28 1 

"Arrest  that  man  !  "  I  direct,  pointing  to  my  enemy. 
"  Arrest  that  damned  Yankee  spy  1 " 

As  I  speak,  the  lieutenant's  revolver  covers  the 
astounded  Shook.  Three  or  four  of  his  troopers  bring 
their  carbines  to  a  "  ready."  Two  or  three  more  spring 
off  their  horses,  among  them  a  big,  slashing  sergeant, 
who  prodaces  a  pair  of  handcuffs. 

"By  whose  order?"  asks  the  lieutenant  hurriedly. 

"  By  mine  1 "  I  cry.  "  Major  Hamilton,  unattached 
and  on  staff  duty.  I  know  that  fellow  to  be  one  of 
Baker's  cursed  Secret  Service." 

"  Seize  him  at  once  !  "  At  their  officer's  command, 
the  sergeant  and  two  troopers  pounce  upon  and  man- 
acle Joe  Shook,  whose  chuckle  has  changed  into  a 
horrid  chatter,  and  whose  face  has  grown  as  pallid  as 
the  dust  of  the  road  on  which  he  is  tramping. 

"You  damned  Maryland  Union  traitor  !  "  he  shrieks 
making  a  spring  at  me.  "  I  had  you  in  the  Old  Capitol 
Prison  for  fourteen  months  !  " 

"Oh,  you  did?"  jeers  the  Confederate  lieutenant. 
"God  help  the  good  Southerner  who  gets  in  that 
Yankee  Bastille."  Then  he  orders  sternly  :  "Gag  that 
scoundrel  if  he  makes  any  more  row." 

For  Shook  is  gasping  :  "  He's  not  a  Confederate  offi- 
cer !  he's  a  Union  officer — a  Union  spy  !  " 

"  Pooh  !  "  I  laugh,  to  the  lieutenant  who  has  turned 
inquiring  eyes  upon  me.  "My  commission — my 
authority."  And  I  produce  my  paper  signed  by  Jeff 
Davis  and  his  War  Secretary. 

Inspecting  these  and  noting  the  signatures  and  the 
seal  of  the  Confederate  War  Department,  the  officer 
salutes  again  and  remarks:  "The  Old  Capitol  Prison 
only  contains  true  Southerners.  That  Yankee  dog  had 
you  there  for  fourteen  months,  Major  ;  it  won't  take  us 
fourteen  days  to  finish  him.  You  make  your  formal 
charges  against  him  to-morrow  morning,  to-day  being 
Sunday." 

"Certainly,"  I  reply.  "At  the  Provost-Marshal's. 
At  present  I  am — "  I  light  a  cigar  ;  it  is  almost  the  last 
of  the  Bouquets  Esptciales  I  have  brought  with  me,  but 
still  I  offer  the  lieutenant  one,  which  he  accepts  as  if  it 
were  a  gift  from  the  gods,  and  continue  :  "I  have  been 
away  from  Richmond  on  staff  duty  in  Georgia.  This 
day  I  shall  devote  to  my  wife,  as  I  have  been  from  her 


j8a  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

for  a  long  time.     But  keep  that  cursed  Yankee  very 
safe." 

"  You  damned  treacherous  turn-coat !  "  shrieks  my 
victim,  who  has  apparently  forgotten  in  his  despair 
and  rage  that  he  was  ordered  to  be  quiet.  "Why, 
God  help  me — as  I  am  a  dying  man,  he  was  Provost- 
Marshal  of—" 

But  he  gets  no  further,  for  with  a  crack  upon  his 
jaws  that  makes  them  quiver,  the  sergeant  growls  : 
"Shut  up,  you  lying  dough-face  !"  and  gags  the  Se- 
cret Service  man  with  a  clothespin  he  takes  from  his 
saddle-pouch,  in  a  manner  that  shows  he  is  an  expert 
in  the  art 

"Oh,  we  know  how  to  take  care  of  his  breed,  Major," 
the  non-commissioned  officer  laughs,  then  saluting, 
turns  from  me,  and  at  a  nod  from  the  lieutenant  I 
see  Mr.  Shook,  with  his  face  white  as  death,  run  along 
by  the  Confederate  detachment  and  disappear,  to  be 
shoved  into  one  of  the  cells  of  the  Provost-Marshal's 
jail. 

I  look  around  ;  Mr.  Isaacs  has  disappeared.  I  have 
shifted  the  noose  that  was  closing  round  my  neck  on  to 
that  of  Joe  Shook,  my  enemy — where  it  is  like  to  stay. 

But  at  what  a  cost !  I  give  a  horrid,  half-despairing 
chuckle,  for  I  know  I  have  purchased  present  safety 
by  absolute  destruction  if  I  remain  in  Richmond  until 
to-morrow. 

To  the  young  lieutenant  my  commission,  my  uniform, 
have  seemed  correct  and  undoubted  ;  on  investigation 
by  the  Confederate  War  Department  they  will  be  found 
absolutely  false — my  commission  issued  three  years 
before  and  apparently  not  accepted.  A  scrutiny  of  the 
rolls  of  prisoners  will  also  disclose  that  Captain  William 
Fairfax  Hamilton  of  the  First  Kentucky  Union  Cavalry 
had  been  captured  in  Maryland  in  1862,  and  then  ex- 
changed. 

So  far,  my  commission  has  been  my  great  safety  ; 
but  a  single  doubt  of  its  authenticity  once  aroused,  it 
will  be  my  worst  enemy. 

I  half  moan  to  myself:  "I  shall  have  to  leave  here 
now — this  very  day — before  darkness  adds  the  usual 
increased  military  precautions  of  night  as  regards 
egress  and  ingress  to  any  city  under  martial  law.  Then 
in  a  kind  of  agonized  despair  I  mutter:  "Not  before  I 


BILLY  HAMILTON.  283 

speak  to  her  1  Not  till  I  clasp  her  in  my  arms  !  For 
my  one  view  of  Eve  in  her  grace  and  her  beauty  as  she 
has  walked  up  Broad  Street,  has  made  me  long  even 
more  than  I  did  before  for  the  love  and  kisses  of  my 
wife. 

Despite  all  risk  I  must  find  and  speak  to  her  at  once  I 
I  hurry  back  to  the  Monumental  and  pay  my  bill, 
stating  that  I  will  probably  spend  the  evening  at  the 
Westmoreland  Club. 

As  I  am  turning  away  from  the  hotel  office  I  sudden- 
ly ask,  "  No  letter  for  me  yet  ?  " 

"Why,  yes,  a  darky  brought  it  an  hour  ago." 
It  is  in  her  dear  handwriting.     I  tear  it  open.     It 
reads — joy  and  rapture  ! — it  reads  : 

*  MY  DARLING  HUSBAND  : — 

"  Come  to  me  at  once.  Ask  for  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Sanders, 
my  aunt,  on  Fourth  Street,  about  the  middle  of  the  block  between 
Grace  and  Broad ;  left-hand  side  going  up  from  Grace. 

"  Oh,  what  effort  it  was  to  keep  from  showing.  I  recognized 
you  in  church  I  But  I  felt  that  your  safety  might  depend  upon 
my  self-control,  and  I  know  you  came  for  love  of 

"  Your  devoted  wife, 

«  EVE." 
Come  to  her?  Of  course  I  will  1 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

BY  NIGHT  IN  RICHMOND. 

RODERICK  is  saddled  outside.  I  mount  him,  dash 
along  Grace  Street  and  up  Fourth,  and  selecting  the 
house  make  a  mistake  in  it.  But  I  soon  find  the  right 
one. 

An  old-fashioned  colonial  residence,  bowered  in  a 
little  shrubbery,  is  in  front  of  me,  as  well  as  I  can 
discover  in  the  dusk.  Lights  are  flickering  through 
the  green  Venetian  blinds  of  its  front  parlor.  In  that 
room  she  is  waiting  for  me. 

I  nervously  open  the  garden  gate.  My  heavy  cavalry 
boots  crunch  the  gravel  of  the  walk.  I  have  sprung  up 


284  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

the  steps,  and  with  beating  heart  have  rapped  upon 
the  entrance  to  my  own  hearthstone. 

Even  as  the  knocker  reaches  the  door  it  is  thrown 
open  to  me,  and  I,  gazing  in,  see,  standing  in  front  oi 
me,  with  eager  eyes  and  panting  heart  and  words  o^ 
love — my  wife.  Before  I  am  inside  the  door  her  kisses 
are  on  my  lips,  her  sweet  voice  is  sobbing  to  me  : 
"  Billy  !  Billy  !  At  last,  my  Billy  1 "  and  I  know  upon 
my  breast  a  wife's  heart  is  resting. 

Then  suddenly  Eve  archly  whispers  :  "  Not  another 
kiss  till  you  come  into  the  parlor.  Quick,  before  the 
servants  see  how  I  adore  you." 

For  I  have  not  been  backward  with  my  caresses,  and 
if  ever  girl  got  well  and  thoroughly  kissed  in  short  half 
minute,  Eve  Hamilton  is  that  one. 

A  second  later  we  are  in  the  parlor.  Suddenly  she 
mutters:  "Parted  fifteen  months  1 "  and  is  in  my 
arms  again. 

"  Now  sit  down  ;  make  yourself  at  home,  Billy,"  she 
says  archly  ;  then  murmurs,  looking  delightfully  bash- 
ful :  "  You  have  a  right  to  ;  it  is  a  wife  who  welcomes 
you."  With  her  word  she  blushes  like  a  rose,  and  her 
Garden-of-Eden  namesake  coming  up  in  her,  eagerly 
asks  :  "  How  do  you  think  I  look  ?  " 

"Like  an  angel!"  I  cry ;  then  correct  it  to  "like  a 
bride.*'  and  holding  her  before  me,  as  the  quick  waves 
of  color  fly  over  her  vivacious  features,  I  jokingly 
query:  "This  is  thy  toilet  for  welcoming  coming 
husband,  eh  ? " 

To  this  she,  hiding  her  head,  half  sighs,  half  laughs  : 
"It  is,  Billy  !" 

Gazing  upon  her  beauty,  I  know  Miss  Diffidence 
means  it ;  for  Eve  has  made  a  bride's  toilet  in  my 
honor.  In  the  soft  curls  that  crown  her  lovely  head 
nestle  a  few  bright  flowers.  She  wears,  simple  in  make 
and  material,  as  the  sad  fortunes  of  these  times  of  siege 
and  war  compel,  a  gown  of  soft,  light  muslin,  of  so 
sheer  a  texture  that  it  gives  entrancing  view  of  shoul- 
ders that  gleam  with  ivory  brilliancy,  and  arms  that 
eeem  like  driven  snow,  an.d  sometimes  the  quick 
beating  of  her  heart  allows  delicious  glimpses  of  an 
exquisite  maiden  bosom  rounded  like  Aphrodite's. 
Girded  at  the  waist  by  some  sash  of  old,  by-gone- 
days  brocade,  the  dress  floats  down  to  little  feet  in 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  28$ 

garb  I  recognize.  Turning  lover's  glance  on  these,  I 
remark:  "Hello!  Our  best  ball  slippers  and  silken 
stockings  we  smuggled  out  of  Washington." 

"  Oh,  Billy,  what  eyes  you  have  !  "  she  cries  ;  then 
laughs:  "Yes,  of  course!"  adding  rather  sadly: 
"Our  finery  must  last  long  here.  Once  gone,  it  comes 
not  again." 

A  moment  later  she  whispers  bashfully:  "Stop 
kissing  me  and  let  me  look  z\.youl"  and  gazing  on 
the  lines  imprisonment  has  set  upon  my  face,  mur- 
murs tenderly  :  "  For  me,  Billy  !  "  Suddenly  her  eyes 
light  up;  she  cries:  "  In  Confederate  un  iform  !  You've 
come  to  join  us  1  I  have  thought  that  all  this  day.  O 
Heaven  and  Earth,  how  happy  you  make  me,  my 
husband  1 " 

But  even  in  my  extremity  I  cannot  lie  to  her.  I  an- 
swer :  "For  your  sake  alone,  I  came.  I'm  still  true  to 
my  flag." 

"But  the  Yankees  imprisoned  you." 

"Still  true  to  my  flag!" 

"I — I  cannot  understand,"  stammers  the  girl,  pass* 
ing  her  delicate  hand  over  her  fair  brow.  Then  of  a 
sudden  her  face  grows  deathly  white.  She  gasps  : 
"My  heaven  1  then  you  are  outside  the  laws  of  war! 
You've  come  here  to  Richmond,  with  death  upon  you 
if  discovered. " 

"But  come  for  you  I "  I  have  her  in  my  arms 
again,  and  she  is  weeping  now.  "  For  you,  Eve  !  I 
swore  the  Confederate  flag  should  not  stand  between 
us." 

"  But  you — you  cannot  remain!" 

' '  Only  till  to-morrow  !  "  I  answer  brokenly,  but  de- 
terminedly, for  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  take  this 
risk,  desperate  as  it  is.  To-morrow  morning  I  fly  ; 
to-night  it  is  my  triumph  and  my  love.  In  this  des- 
perate game,  some  stake  I  will  pull  from  it :  losing  my 
existence,  I  will  have  gained  my  wife. 

"  You  will  go  away  to — to-morrow  ?  "  Eve  murmurs 
slowly,  broken-heartedly.  How  her  arms  clutch  me  I 

"Yes,  early  to-morrow  morning,  taking  you  with 
me,  if  I  can,"  I  answer. 

"  Desert  my  kindred  in  their  extremity?  "  she  fhud- 
ders  ;  then  says  reproachfully:  "Billy,  you've  seen 
now  how  we  suffer?"  Here,  resolution  making  he* 


286  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

eyes  beam,  she  springs  from  me  and  cries  indignantly 
and  determinedly  :  "Never/" 

"  Ah,  you  do  not  love  me  as  a  wife! "  I  falter,  de- 
spair in  my  voice  ;  then  ask  sternly,  seizing  her  by  her 
white  shoulders  and  making  her  look  me  in  the  face, 
though  her  eyes  droop  under  my  glance  :  "  What  was 
the  import  of  your  letter  to  me  in  Washington  ?  What 
were  the  meaning  of  your  kisses  to  me  now  ?  "  With 
this,  my  arm  goes  round  her  waist,  for  she  is  sighing 
and  wringing  her  hands,  and  tears  that  make  her  eyes 
seem  dewy  tell  me  I  am  winning. 

"  I — I  love  you  !  "  she  falters  ;  then  a  sudden  deter- 
mination coming  into  her  eye  and  voice,  whispers  : 
"You  shall  not  reproach  me  with  that  again/" 

"Then  prove  it!" 

« I " 

"Prove  you  are  wife  to  me  who  have  dared  so  much 
to  prove  my  love  for  you  !  " 

"Billy,  I  will!"  she  cries.  Wave  after  wave  of 
blushes  fly  over  her,  each  stronger  than  the  other,  till 
face  and  neck  and  ivory  shoulders  gleam  like  red  coral. 
She  is  faltering,  in  so  low  a  voice  I  scarce  can  hear : 
"  When  you  go  away  to-morrow,  you  shall  not  say  I 
do  not  adore  you  as  well  as  wife  ever  loved  husband." 
Her  face  is  hidden  upon  my  breast,  and  I  can  feel  her 
virgin  bosom  throb  as  if  it  would  burst  from  the  dress 
that  veils  its  beauty,  while  I  kiss  and  caress  her  and 
thank  her  for  her  dear  words. 

But  here  she  springs  from  me  ;  a  startled,  affrighted 
look  flies  into  her  face.  She  gasps  :  "What  will  they 
think  of  me?  The  servants  in  the  house — my  aunt,  if 
she  learns?  Your  coming  here  this  night  and  going 
away  to-morrow  morning.* 

"They'll  think  a  husband  risked  his  life  for  love  of 
you,"  I  answer,  my  eyes  blazing. 

"Yes,  true  heart!"  cries  the  girl,  love,  passion  and 
devotion  in  her  eyes.  "  What  wife  would  not  dare  any- 
thing for  a  husband  who  dares  so  much  for  her?  " 

"God  bless  you  !  God  forever  bless  you,  my  bride," 
I  whisper  in  the  shell-like  ear  that  is  nestling  so  near 
to  me,  and,  gathering  her  in  my  arms,  draw  on  to  my 
knee  a  mass  of  beauty,  faltering  with  modesty,  made 
very  rosy  by  excited  love,  and  bright  with  sparkling 
'ears-  These  last  I  soothe  by  caresses, 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  287 

Then  I  grow  bolder  and  kiss  the  dimples  on  her 
alluring  neck ;  but  she  suddenly  springs  up  and 
laughs  :  "  Have  you  had  any  supper,  Billy?  " 

"Lots!  "  I  reply. 

"Ah,  but  you  must  join  me  in  one  meal  at  home," 
she  says,  archly.  "Besides,  it  will  look  better.  I 
shall  tell  the  servants  you  are  my  husband.  Then, 
who  shall  dare  to  censure  me  with  being  your  true  and 
dutiful  and  loving  wife?  " 

So,  after  three  or  four  sweet  kisses,  Eve  who  has 
grown  strangely  bashful  and  diffident  to  me,  perchance 
because  she  notes  something  in  my  glance  which  says  : 
' '  I  am  your  consort !  "  runs  away  from  me. 

Soon  I  can  hear  her  ordering  supper,  telling  the 
servants  her  husband,  Major  Hamilton,  has  just  ar- 
rived. But  once  or  twice  she  flits  in  to  me,  as  if  she 
couldn't  bear  to  have  me  out  of  her  eyes.  On  one  of 
these  trips  she  takes  my  hand,  and  rather  astounds  me 
by  kissing  it ;  then  runs  bashfully  away. 

A  moment  after  I  play  a  trick  on  her,  for,  hearing 
her  coming  step  I  open  one  of  the  windows,  then  hide 
behind  the  door. 

And  she,  entering,  casts  frightened  eyes  about,  and 
seeing  the  casement,  her  face  grows  ashen,  as  she 
sinks  down  on  a  chair,  gasping  :  "  Bereft  !  " 

But  my  kisses  bring  color  to  her  cheeks,  till  she 
whispers:  "Billy,  behave  1  What  will  the  servants 
think?" 

"  Only,"  I  whisper  grimly,  "  that  hubby  has  been  a 
long  time  away,  and  knows  a  good  thing  when  he's 
got  it." 

The  last  time  Eve  comes  in,  she  whispers  :  "A  mo- 
ment or  two  more,  my  darling,  and  you  shall  sit  on 
your  own  hearthstone  with  the  wife  of  your  bosom  by 
your  side; "  and  so  goes  from  me  with  a  very  red  face, 
for  I  have  kissed  her  pretty  dimpled  shoulders. 

So  sitting  there  quite  confidently,  I,  look  upon  my 
modest  home,  and  despite  the  hand  of  death  wnich  is 
so  near  to  me,  emit  a  laugh  of  triumph. 

Just  about  this  time  there  are  some  steps  at  the 
front  door.  I  glance  out.  As  well  as  I  can  see,  it  is 
the  damned  Confederate  lieutenant-colonel  who  had 
escorted  Eve  from  church. 

"  A  little  surprise  for  you,  my  buck.     It'll  rather  <is« 


288  BILLY   HAMILTON", 

tonish  you  to  know  'old  Hamilton  '  has  come  home,* 
I  chuckle.  With  this,  not  waiting  for  the  servant, 
with  a  Don  Cesar  de  Bazan  air,  I  open  the  door,  and 
find  my  suspicions  are  correct.  "Please  walk  in,  sir," 
I  remark  in  blandest  voice.  "  Mrs.  Hamilton  will  be 
with  you  in  a  minute." 

My  easy  father-of-the-family  air  apparently  astounds 
the  gentleman.  With  a  surprised  and  questioning,  yet 
haughty  look,  he  follows  me  to  the  parlor.  Then 
turning  to  me  he  suggests  :  "  You  will  pardon  me,  sir, 
but  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  ofmeetingyou  before." 

"  No  ;  I  have  been  away  in  Georgia  and  Tennessee 
with  Hardee  and  Johnston,"  I  reply.  "  But  permit  me 
to  introduce  myself.  Major  Hamilton,  the  husband  of 
the  lady  whom  you  honor  with  your  attentions.  Eve 
will  be  here  in  a  minute,  and  I  am  always  pleased  to 
entertain  her  friends." 

"  Egad  !  "  I  say  to  myself.  "  This  military  cock-a- 
doodle  will  see  how  my  wife  loves  me,  and  take  his 
departure  with  his  sword,  if  not  his  tail,  between  his 
cavalry  boots." 

For  at  my  words,  the  gentleman,  who  has  been 
gazing  at  me  in  a  somewhat  supercilious  way,  sud- 
denly seems  dazed  and  confused,  and  I  hear  him  mur- 
mur:  "Good  God!" 

"By  Yankee-Doodle!  he  knows  he's  got  into  the 
wrong  house  now"  I  chuckle  to  myself;  and  cry  out : 
"  Eve,  come  here  ;  a  friend  of  yours  has  called  upon 
us,  dear!" 

And  she  flying  in,  gives  a  muffled  shriek  and  falters  : 
"I  should  have  told  you  1  O  Heavens  1  I  should 
have  warned  you  before  I  " 

"  Warned  me  /"I  say.  "It  is  he  you  should  have 
warned."  And  the  fire  of  jealousy  lights  up  my  hus- 
band eyes. 

But  she  screams  out :  "  No,  no  !  It  is  Charley  St. 
George  1  Billy,  don't  you  remember  my  half-brother?" 

At  her  words,  joy  comes  to  me,  and  I  laugh.  And 
St.  George  laughs  also,  and  we  three  get  tittering  to- 
gether ;  for  Eve  has  ejaculated  :  "  He  was  jealous  of 
you  before,  Charley — at  Frederick.  You  remember  : 
your  kiss  made  Billy  so  miserable." 

But  tragedy  crushes  comedy. 

Upon  our  merriment  the  young  Confederate's  voice 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  289 

breaks  sternly  in  :  "  You  come  under  a  flag  of  truce, 
Captain  Hamilton  of  the  United  States  Army?  " 

Looking  at  him,  I  give  a  shudder  ;  for  I  suddenly 
think:  "This  is  the  one  man  in  all  Richmond  who 
will  know  my  story  of  the  Confederate  Major  is  and 
must  be  a  lie." 

Gazing  at  me,  he  suddenly  gasps  :  "  Good  Heaven  ! 
In  Confederate  uniform— -you  ?" 

To  us  both  now  comes  a  low,  stifled  scream.  Eve 
shudders :  "  My  God — Billy  !  "  and  commences  to  wring 
her  hands  and  mutter  :  "Sacrificed  for  love  of  me  !  " 

Then  suddenly  my  wife  is  before  the  young  officer, 
entreating,  begging,  sobbing,  murmuring:  "Charley, 
Charley,  CHARLEY  I  You  know  my  husband  came  for 
only  one  thing — love  of  me.  It  is  my  fault.  I  kept 
him  from  my  kisses  and  my  arms.  That  he  is  here 
now  to  demand  a  husband's  rights,  is  my  crime  I  He 
saved  me  when  he  knew  I  was  a  spy ;  I  beg  you  spare 
him  who  comes  honorably,  not  as  an  enemy,  not  as  a 
spy,  but  simply  as  a  lover  whom  I  adore  and  a  hus- 
band whom  I  worship." 

To  this  the  Confederate  simply  mutters  in  a  heart- 
broken way  :  "  Eve  !  You  forget  my  duty  /" 

But  she  bursts  out  at  him:  "Charley,  you've  been 
kind  to  me.  Though  only  my  half-brother,  you've 
been  a  brother  to  me,  and  as  such  you're  his  brother 
— my  husband's  brother.  Would  you  doom  him  to 
death  ?  You  know  that's  what  it  will  be.  Would  you 
break  my  heart  ?  " 

"Heaven  help  me  1  "  says  the  young  fellow,  who 
has  a  noble  face  and  martial  bearing.  "Eve,  I  can 
only  do  my  duty.  Think  of  me — don't  put  me  in  a 
false  position  ;  it  is  not  just  to  me.  I  have  not  courted 
it;  the  blame  is  on  Captain  Hamilton,  who,  knowing 
the  laws  of  the  war,  came  here  despite  them."  Then  he 
breaks  out  half-despairingly  :  "  For  God's  sake,  Billy 
Hamilton,  why  didn't  you  wait  until  you  knew  who  I 
was — that  I  was  the  one  man  in  Richmond  who  would 
know  your  story  was  certainly  a  lie  ?  " 

"He  couldn't  wait,  Charley,  he  couldn't  v/ait  1  He 
was  jealous  ;  he  was  terribly  jealous.  God  bless  him 
for  it,  he  was  jealous!"  And  the  girl  is  round  my 
neck,  with  tender  kisses,  murmuring  :  "  My  husband's 
jealousy  proves  his  love." 


tgo  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

And  I  seem  happy,  too.  Even  the  fear  of  deatli, 
which  is  very  near,  doesn't  seem  to  abate  my  exalta- 
tion.  For  Eve's  kisses  are  coming  to  me  as  strong  with 
love  as  ever  woman's  came  to  man. 

"I — I  am  very  sorry,''  says  the  Confederate  officer, 
"but  I  must  report  this  to  the  Provost-Marshal." 

"No,  no!  Mercy!  Charley,  for  me,  your  sister — 
for  him,  your  brother  t " 

"Then  if  Captain  Hamilton  will  swear  to  me," 
"that  he  has  come  for  no  other  purpose,  disguised, 
into  the  Confederate  lines,  than  to  claim  the  love  of 
his  wife,  for  twenty-four  hours  I  will  forget  my  honor 
and  my  duty,"  reluctantly  whispers  poor  St.  George, 
who  seems  more  unhappy  than  I  am.  "I  will  for 
twenty- four  hours  forget  my  oath  to  my  government 
Besides  this,  your  husband,  Eve,  must  give  his  word 
to  communicate  nothing  he  has  seen  or  heard  within 
our  lines  to  the  cursed  Yankee  Government  at  Wash- 
ington." This  last  is  added  sternly  and  decisively. 

"God  bless  you  !  "  My  wife  is  round  my  rival's  neck 
now,  but  I  am  no  more  jealous.  I  know  as  true  a 
spouse  as  ever  this  world  has  seen  is  mine. 

"Answer!"  says  St.  George  to  me.  "Then  I  will 
go  away.  On  your  honor  as  a  man,  Captain  Billy 
Hamilton,  did  you  come  into  the  Confederate  lines 
with  no  other  object  than  to  see  the  wife  who  loves 
you  ?  " 

Looking  into  the  cavalryman's  face  which  meets 
mine  anxiously,  entreatingly,  I  do  not  answer  him. 

"Speak,  my  husband,"  pleads  the  girl — her  eyes  fixed 
on  mine  as  if  they  would  burn  their  way  into  my  soul. 
"  Tell  him  you're  no  ppy  upon  your  wife's  kindred." 

Still  I  do  not  speak. 

And  the  Confederate  mutters:  "Good  Heavens,  I 
am  sorry  !  "  His  hand  is  being  stretched  for  his  hat 
he  is  turning  to  go  :  my  wife,  white  as  a  statue  now, 
has  uttered  a  little  gasping  moan  :  "O  God,  a  spy  ! " 
Then  suddenly  Eve  is  again  entreating  St.  George  and 
is  holding  his  arms  with  her  little  hands  and  begging 
with  pallid  lips  that  tremble  as  they  plead:  "For 
God's  sake,  think  ! —  Don't  widow  me  before  I'm  a 
wife  !  Think — think — THINK  !  Charley,  THINK — when  I 
Was  a  little  girl  you  used  to  be  kind  to  me — when  I—. 


BILLY  HAMILTON.  291 

"You  sue  for  a  military  outcast! "  says  the  young 
Confederate  sternly.  "  Eve,  I'm  ashamed  of  you  I  " 
and  would  stride  towards  the  door. 

But  I  bar  his  way  ;  my  cocked  revolver  looks  into 
his  face.  "Remember,  you're  unarmed,"  I  whisper; 
for,  in  the  safety  of  his  capital  and  to  escort  a  young 
lady  to  church,  Colonel  St.  George  has  left  even  his 
sword  behind  him.  "For  your  sister's  sake,  don't 
make  me  shoot  you  ! "  I  plead,  for  he  is  still  advancing  : 
then  cry  sharply  :  "Keep  back  I " 

' '  Not  for  a  damned  Yankee  spy  !  "  he  answers,  and 
springs  upon  me. 

I  can't  pull  trigger  upon  the  brave  young  fellow  ;  for 
Eve  is  shuddering:  "Spare  him!" 

So  he,  dashing  my  pistol  from  me,  we  grapple  and 
struggle  and  fight  with  nature's  weapons :  he  to  im- 
prison me — I  to  conquer  him.  Twice  I  get  the  best  of 
him,  from  tricks  of  wrestle  learned  in  West  Point  gym- 
nasium ;  but  he  will  not  be  fought  down  !  His  muscles 
have  been  toughened  in  a  long  campaign,  while  mine 
have  grown  inert  in  a  prison  cell.  God  of  despair,  he 
has  forced  me  down  upon  a  sofa,  he  is  whispering  : 
"Spy,  I  have  you  1  "  his  hands  are  about  my  throat 
to  throttle  me  into  insensibility. 

But  here,  a  white  figure  that  has  cowered  in  a  corner 
watching  us,  with  moans  of  despair  and  faint  cries  of 
misery,  suddenly  becomes  a  being  of  action.  She  flies 
to  where  my  sabre,  thrown  from  its  scabbard,  lies  on 
the  floor,  and  raising  this  on  high  with  both  her  hands 
Eve,  with  all  her  strength,  with  the  flat  of  the  blade 
strikes  twice  upon  my  conqueror's  head. 

With  a  muttered  "Jezebel  1 "  at  the  first  stroke  ;  at 
the  second,  Charley  St.  George  staggers  and  stumbles, 
and  falls  senseless  upon  the  floor. 

Dropping  the  weapon,  the  girl  moans  shudderingly  : 
"  Heaven  forgive  me  !  I  have  killed  my  brother  1  " 

But  I,  inspecting  his  wounds,  say  :  "  With  the  flat  of 
the  sabre?  Nonsense!  Charley's  only  stunned;  in 
half  an  hour  he'll  be  himself  again.  Bless  you,  dar- 
ling, for  saving  my  life ! "  and  would  put  arm  about 
her. 

But  she  fights  from  me  and  cries  savagely  :  "God 
forgive  you  !  you  have  made  me  raise  arms  against 
my  country  ; '  then  mutters,  contempt  in  her  brigh* 


292  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

eyes  :  "Oh,  Heaven  !  a  spy  come  for  the  destruction  of 
my  city  and  my  race  ! "  Next  suddenly  starts  and 
whispers  tremblingly:  "Fly  in  time!  There  is  a 
noise  in  the  next  house  ;  they've  heard  us.  Fly  /  " 

"  Yes — taking  you  with  me  !  " 

"  Impossible  !  It  would  be  my  death  I  They'll 
never  forgive  me  Fredericksburg  1 "  She  laughs  in  a 
ghastly  way. 

"For  the  information  I  risk  my  life  to  gain,  my 
government  has  promised  free  pardon  to  my  wife  ! 

"Ah!" 

"If  you  take  the  oath  of  allegiance." 

"  I  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  that  hated  flag? 
Never!  "  cries  the  girl,  her  eyes  flaming  and  in- 
spired— then  a  tender  light  coming  in  her  face,  she 
mutters  suddenly  :  "  FLY  !  " 

"  I  will  not,"  I  return,  doggedly,  "  I  cannot  leave 
the  Confederate  capital  without  a  pass  at  night. " 

"You  must,  Billy,  you  must!  But  how — how — 
HOW  ? "  She  wrings  her  hands,  then  suddenly  whis- 
pers :  "I  know — one  chance  !  "  and  runs  to  the  back 
of  the  house,  where  the  negro  servants,  who  have 
heard  the  struggle,  are  standing  aghast  and  astounded. 

A  minute  later  she  is  beside  me.  Behind  her  comes 
a  black. 

"  Quashie,"  she  speaks  low  and  swift,  "you  must 
save  my  husband.  You  must  get  him  out  of  Rich- 
mond to-night" 

"'Tain't  possible  !  " 

"  You  must  1  You  can  do  it  ;  I  know  you  niggers 
run  the  blockade  whenever  you  want  Take  him  by 
the  nigger-way  ;  get  him  out!" 

"  Save  a  Yank  who's  killed  Massa  St.  George  ? 
Neber  !  " 

"  He  hasn't  killed  him  ;  I  struck  him  down  with  my 
own  hands;  but  he's  not  dead,'*  and  she  kisses  the 
face  of  the  young  Confederate,  then  begs  :  "  Quashie, 
save  my  husband !  Save  him  as  you  love  me  1  " 

"  Den  I  saves  him  !  "  mutters  the  black  solemnly. 
"Dough  I  neber  fought  you'd  ask  dis  for  a  Yank." 

"  God  bless  you,  Quashie  !  '*  cries  the  girl,  and  whis- 
pers to  me  :  "Go/" 

"  Not  until  you  say  you  love  me — you  forgive  me  ! 

"Go — you  haven't  time." 


BILLY  HAMILTON. 


"Not  until  you  say- 


"Oh,  is  it  not  proof  enough,  that  I  love  you,  when  I 
would  strike  my  brother  down,  when  I  would  raise  my 
arms  against  the  flag  I  love  forjyou,  Billy  1 "  she  sobs. 

*'  I  want  your  kisses  !  " 

"You  risked  your  life,  part  to  gain  my  pardon,  part 
to — ?  "  in  all  her  anxiety  she's  blushing  like  a  rose. 

"To  make  you  my  own  I"  I  cry  inspired.  Her 
arms  are  round  me  ;  her  sweet  lips  cling  to  mine. 
Her  soft  voice  sighs  in  awful  dread,  "Go  !  if  you  love 
me  ! — if  you  would  not  have  me  die  in  yourarms,  go! 
You  have  made  me  a  traitor  to  my  friends,  my  kindred 
and  my  cause — but  save  your  life,  my  husband  BE- 
CAUSE I  ADORE  YOU  1 " 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL 

THE    DROOPING    COLORS. 

" QUICK  !  "  cries  Quashie,  "or  yo'se  a  gone  coon  !" 
He  is  standing  in  the  hall  with  a  half-filled  sack  in  his 
hand. 

From  the  house  below  us  women's  voices  come  in 
excited  tones. 

Following  him  hurriedly  from  the  house,  I  spring 
upon  Roderick,  and  the  negro,  throwing  the  sack  over 
the  pommel  of  my  saddle  and  running  beside  me  with 
a  surprising  speed,  guides  me  through  Richmond's 
faintly  lighted  streets. 

A  moment  after  we  are  up  the  hill,  on  Broad  Street. 
The  black  is  leading  me  towards  the  North,  for  I  note 
we  cross  the  tracks  of  the  Fredericksburg  &  Richmond 
Railway. 

"Won't  come  to  no  guards  and  pickets  yet  a  while," 
says  Quashie  to  me  ;  then  remarks  :  "  Ef  dey  gits  me 
dey'll  raise  de  deble  wid  me.  An'  just  to  t'ink  fo'  help- 
ing a  damn  Yankee  out  of  de  hole  !  But — "  he  looks 
at  me  as  he  trots  beside  Roderick — "  yo'se  safe,  sah. 
When  my  missey  said  if  dey  kill  yo'  dey  kill  har,  yo'se 
safe,  if  I  can  make  yo'.  An'  what  Quashie  ain't  up  to 
'bout  dis  country  ain't  no  account,  no  way,"  he  adds 
confidently. 

This  proves  to  be  the  fact.     How  I  get  out  of  Rich- 


294  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

mond  I  don't  know  !  Were  it  not  for  the  black,  I  am 
satisfied  I  would  have  fallen  half  a  dozen  times  into 
the  hands  of  the  numerous  and  alert  Rebel  patrols, 
which  he  dodges  with  darky  subtlty.  Round  piles 
of  lumber,  by  deserted  railroad  tracks  and  unused 
freight  cars — through  a  dirty  creek  in  which  he  wades 
to  his  waist  he  leads  me.  Then  the  houses  growing 
less  frequent,  he  takes  to  rough  places,  and  trails 
probably  unknown  to  any  but  the  negroes,  and  once 
or  twice  conducts  me  across  lots,  nosing  his  way  in 
the  darkness  through  the  thickets  and  underbrush  in  a 
manner  that  astounds  me. 

So  we  keep  on  for  hours — all  traces  of  the  town  have 
been  left  behind  us  long  ago.  About  daylight  in  the 
morning  Quashie  says  :  "  We's  got  to  stop  soon,  sah. 
Darsn't  travel  by  daylight  ;  get  gobbled  up  shuah.*' 

' '  Where  am  I  ?  "  I  ask,  looking  at  my  watch. 
"  We  have  been  travelling  nearly  eight  hours." 

"Yo'se  on  Stonewall  Jackson's  old  battle-groun', 
Cold  Harbor.  Yo'  Yanks  should  'member  dat ,  dat's 
where  yo'  got  fury,"  he  chuckles  savagely.  "An 
I  hopes  yo'  get  de  deble  agin." 

But  soon  after  this,  getting  into  what  Quashie  calls 
"a  nice  swamp,"  he  remarks:  "We  stays  heah  all 
day,  sah." 

"Well — but  something  to  eat" 

"Fse  looked  out  for  dat.  Trust  a  niggah  in  the 
woods.  Whaugh  I  Whaugh  !  What's  in  dat  sack  in 
front  of  you'se  ?  " 

As  he  chuckles,  the  black  produces  from  the  bag 
some  bread  made  of  middlings,  a  few  slices  of  boiled 
bacon  and  a  piece  of  beef  that  for  lean,  gaunt,  stringi- 
ness  could  discount  the  worst  army  ration  I  ever 
encountered. 

"  Besides,  I'se  got  some  beans  to  make  coffee  with." 
remarks  Quashie  philosophically,  as  he  builds,  with 
the  art  of  a  negro  who  has  been  a  coon-hunter,  a 
fire  that  produces  little  smoke,  and  producing  a  tin  pan 
from  the  sack  fills  it  with  water  from  a  creek  running 
by  us  and  proceeds  to  make  his  bean  coffee.  Over 
this,  with  the  philosophy  of  an  old  campaigner,  I 
join  him,  and  if  we  do  not  make  a  luxurious  meal, 
we  at  least  finish  nearly  everything  in  sight,  for  our 
all-night's  travel  has  made  us  ravenous. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  295 

Then  looking  at  my  horse,  I  say:  "We  must  do 
something  for  him.  Quashie,  you  must  get  Roderick 
some  provender." 

"Very  well,  sah,  but  I  don't  want  no  money,"  for  I 
have  produced  a  roll  of  Confederate  currency.  "  Dere's 
only  one  safe  way  to  git  it,  and  dat's  to  steal  it.  I'll 
bring  you'se  some  fodder  and  stuff  for  yo'  nag." 

Leaving  me  in  this  place,  which  is  secluded  enough, 
though  very  damp,  the  darky  disappears. 

Heavens  and  earth  !  How  helpless  I  feel,  knowing 
practically  nothing  of  the  country.  For  I  had  intended 
to  go  down  by  a  more  direct  route  to  the  Peninsula, 
by  the  Charles  city  road,  on  the  South  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  which  would  probably — I  judge  from  what 
Quashie  had  told  me  on  our  night-march — have  been 
my  destruction.  So,  smoking  a  corn-cob  pipe,  for  I 
have  exhausted  my  cigars,  I  wait  for  the  negro. 

Presently  I  hear  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs.  Crawl- 
ing to  the  edge  of  undergrowth  and  peering  out,  I  see 
the  gleam  of  arms  going  round  a  turn  of  the  road. 
A  Confederate  vidette  must  have  passed  me  scarce  a 
minute  before. 

Then  I  cogitate  :  "If  Quashie  deserts  me,  what  route 
shall  I  take?  What  shall  I  do?"  and  have  just  about 
cursed  the  negro  for  a  traitor,  when  he  returns,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  sack  of  corn  and  fodder  for  Roderick. 

After  feeding  the  horse,  the  negro  and  I  go  to 
sleep,  leaving  my  nag  contentedly  munching. 

That  evening,  under  Quashie's  guidance,  we  again 
set  forth.  By  swamp-paths  and  side-tracks,  and 
every  round-about  way  to  avoid  the  main  roads  of  the 
country,  that  are  picketed  with  Confederate  cavalry, 
we  travel  down  the  Peninsula.  About  ten  o'clock  in 
the  evening  we  pass  Tunstal's  Station,  giving  that  a 
wide  berth,  for  the  negro  remarks  :  "  One  side  or 
t'other  am  always  dere,  and  it's  generally  us  uns. " 

So,  gradually  getting  nearer  Williamsburg  and  the 
Union  lines  we  journey  on  until  just  after  daybreak  ; 
When  Quashie  whispers  :  "Stop  1  Dar's  rangers  ahead 
of  us." 

But  my  answer  to  this  is  a  cry  of  joy.  A  patrol  of 
cavalry  whose  flag  floats  to  the  breeze  shows  me  I  am 
in  front  of  United  States  troops. 

"Guess  I  won't  go  no  further.     Dose  cursed  Yanks 


•96  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

might  t'ink  I  was  one  of  der  darned  contrabands," 
chuckles  the  darky. 

"All  right,"  I  answer.  "But  don't  go  until  I've 
rewarded  you." 

"  No,  sah  !  I  saved  yo'  because  I  lobe  my  missey. 
But,  so  help  me  Gawd,  Cap'n,  if  yo'  come  here  agin, 
spyin'  out  on  our  people,  I'll  give  yo'  away  myself. 
I'se  done  a  powerful  bad  t'ing." 

"  What  ?  "     I  say.      "  Don't  you  want  to  be  free  /> " 

"  Not  free  from  har  I  Does  yo'  want  to  be  free  from 
har?" 

"No,  Quashie,  we're  both  slaves  to  the  same  girl," 
I  say. 

"Yes;  dat  am  de  only  redeeming  point  'bout  yo', 
sah,"  chuckles  the  darky  contentedly. 

"  But  you  must  take  a  message  for  her." 

"  Ob  course." 

"And  this  money." 

"  I  doesn't  want  yer  cash." 

"  It  is  not  for  you  ;  it  is  for  her — my  wife.  You  see 
how  poor  they  are  in  Richmond."  And  I  hurriedly 
force  on  the  black  all  the  money  of  any  kind  I  have 
with  me,  except  a  twenty-dollar  bill. 

"Well,  sah,  I  s'poseas  Miss  Ebe  says  she's  yo'  wife, 
it  wouldn't  be  quite  right  if  yo'  didn't  do  a  little  for  har ; 
specially  after  she's  smashed  up  my  poor  massa  Charlie 
for  yo'.  Dere's  no  telling  what  these  gals'll  do,  sah, 
when  they  git  upish." 

" Quite  right,  Quashie,"  I  laugh,  for  I  cannot  be 
angry  with  him  ;  he  has  done  too  much  for  me. 

"  Here,  take  this  to  my  wife,"  I  mutter  huskily, 
for  on  a  leaf  in  my  pocket-book  I  have  hastily  written  : 
"Eve,  my  darling,  the  next  time  I  come  to  Richmond 
it  will  not  be  as  a  spy,  but  as  a  conqueror."  And 
jotting  down  words  of  love  and  endearment,  I  sign  it 
"Forever  your  husband. " 

But  I  have  not  much  time  to  lose ;  the  Confederate 
pickets  are  on  the  alert.  Some  half  mile  away  towards 
the  west  a  gray  squadron  appears  in  the  road,  and  I 
spur  my  horse  eastward  along  the  pike  to  meet  my  ad- 
vancing friends,  who  seem  to  be  in  force,  for  the  Rebels 
retire  without  firing  a  shot. 

"  Three  minutes  after,  waving  a  white  handkerchief, 
1  ride  into  the  Union  lines  and  drawing  a  long  breath, 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  297 

for  the  first  time  in  a  week,  feel  that  I  am  safe  from  a 
dastard's  death. 

Making  my  report  to  the  officer  in  command,  but 
being  unable  to  show  anything  that  indicates  I  am  not 
a  Rebel,  for  I  have  dared  to  carry  no  Union  papers  nor 
insignia  with  me,  I  am  placed  under  guard  and  taken 
to  Fortress  Monroe.  Here  everything  is  soon  made 
very  pleasant  for  me.  My  valise  that  I  left  in  Suffolk, 
has  arrived  there ;  the  General  commanding,  having 
instructions  about  me. 

That  afternoon  I  take  boat  for  Washington,  and 
early  on  Thursday  present  myself  at  the  War  Depart- 
ment. Gazing  at  me,  the  Secretary  smiles  grimly,  and 
remarks  :  "You  look  as  if  you  had  come  out  of  the 
jaws  of  death." 

For,  notwithstanding  two  days  of  comparative  rest, 
I  am  still  fearfully  haggard  and  gaunt,  from  the  tre- 
mendous strain  of  my  journey  to  the  Rebel  capital. 

"I  have  come  from  Richmond,  sir;  that  is  about 
the  same,*  I  answer. 

"  Well,  I  never  expected  to  see  you  again  1 "  he 
chuckles ;  then  suddenly  and  eagerly  asks  for  my  re- 
port. 

This  I  present  to  him,  giving  him  an  account  of  the 
various  Home  Guards'  Armory  Battalion,  Boys'  Com- 
pany, etc.,  likewise  a  description  and  sketches  from 
memory  of  the  fortifications  about  Richmond. 

Concluding  I  say  :  "The  city  is  susceptible  of  attack 
by  a  quick  raiding  party,  if  the  bridges  across  the  James 
River  can  be  seized  in  time.  If  the  expedition  is  com- 
posed of  two  cavalry  commands,  the  larger  assaulting 
the  line  of  forts  north  of  the  capital  with  sufficient 
vigor  to  hold  the  Confederate  troops  manning  these  de- 
fences ;  a  smaller,  quick-travelling  detachment  coming 
from  the  West,  and  on  the  South  of,  the  James  River, 
can  probably  successfully  either  raid  Richmond,  or 
capture  the  Rebel  prison  at  Belle  Isle  and  release  the 
Union  prisoners  there — but  cannot  do  both" 

"  Not  raid  Richmond  and  release  our  prisoners  at  the 
same  time?"  remarks  the  Secretary  testily.  *'  Why 
not  ? " 

"Because  by  the  time  the  attacking  force  has  re- 
leased the  prisoners  on  Belle  Isle,  the  alarm  will  surely 
be  given  in  Richmond,  and  the  bridges  across  the 


BILLY   HAMILTON. 

James  River  will  certainly  be  so  effectively  guarded 
or  destroyed,  that  your  raiders  will  never  get  into  the 
Confederate  capital.  You  can  with  good  luck  either 
capture  Belle  Isle  or  raid  Richmond,  Mr.  Secretary,  but 
to  attempt  both,  will  be  to  fail  in  both." 

"  Humph  !  "  he  says  contemplatively. 

Into  his  meditation  I  break  by  asking  :  "Are  you 
satisfied  with  my  report,  sir?" 

"Perfectly." 

"Then  my  reward,  Mr.  Secretary?"  I  demand 
eagerly. 

*'I  have  sent  your  name  in  to  the  Governor  of  Ken- 
tucky for  promotion  in  your  old  cavalry  regiment. 
You  will  find  your  commission  downstairs,  Major 
Hamilton." 

"But  my  reward,  Mr.  Secretary?"  I  ask  again 
anxiously. 

"  To  what  do  you  refer,  sir?  " 

"  The  guerdon  for  which  I  braved  a  disgraceful 
death — the  pardon  for  my  wife." 

"Ah,  that  shall  be  made  out.  I  have  not  forgotten 
the  lady,"  Mr.  Stanton  remarks  grimly.  "I  pledge 
myself  the  President  will  sign  it.  He  likes  to  sign  par- 
dons. It  would  have  created  rather  a  commotion  to 
have  hung  the  niece  of  our  great  Border-State  War 
Senator,  eh  ?"  A  very  beautiful  girl ;  I  have  seen  her 
here  in  Washington  myself.  I  don't  wonder  that  in- 
etead  of  you  catching  her,  she  caught  jyou.  Did  you 
meet  her  in  Richmond?" 

"Yes,"  I  mutter. 

"  Humph  !  A  little  addition  to  a  short  honeymoon, 
I  presume,"  he  chuckles.  "Do  you  think  you  ve  per- 
suaded her  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance." 

"I  fear  not,"  I  answer  gloomily. 

"Ah,  yes  ;  if  we  had  only  the  men  of  the  South  to 
fight,  we'd  have  an  easier  time,"  remarks  the  Secretary. 
"And  you,  I  suppose — you'd  like  to  go  to  Richmond 
again  ?  "  he  asks. 

"  Wouldn't  I  ?  ^  But  not  as  a  spy  !  " 

"Then  I  will  give  you  a  chance.  Your  old  regiment 
will  march  under  Sheridan.  But  this  raiding  business 
I  shall  put  in  other  hands.  No  man  with  a  wife  in 
Richmond  is  fitted  to  burn  the  Rebel  capital.  What 
do  you  want  to  do  now  ? " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  299 

"  I  want  to  sleep  for  a  week. " 

So  he  sends  me  away,  shuddering  in  my  heart  as 
I  think,  "What  may  I  not  have  brought  upon  Eve?" 

Perhaps  I  should  have  shuddered  more ;  for  it  was 
on  my  information  that  that  unfortunate  Dahlgren  raid 
was  planned,  which  came  to  such  a  horrible  ending, 
and  produced  so  much  discussion  as  to  what  is  civil- 
ized in  warfare. 

The  next  day  I  see  Birdie,  who  has  taken  a  handsome 
furnished  house  in  Washington  and  lately  added  to  her 
establishment  a  prattling  goo-goo  boy.  She  is  trying 
to  play  the  Roman  matron  and  not  doing  it  very 
well. 

"  You're  going  to  the  front.  That's  where  Arthur  is 
— at  the  front.  He's  in  Torbert's  cavalry  division. 
Billy,  do  what  you  can  to  aid  my  husband  when  he's 
in  battle,"  pleads  Birdie,  who  only  knows  one  detail 
of  war — that  gallant  men  leave  their  wives'  arms  and 
never  come  back  to  them. 

"You'll  try  to  save  him?"  she  whimpers  to  me; 
then  suddenly  cries  :  "But  I  know  Arthur  isn't  coming 
back.  Every  time  I  look  at  this  ring  he  put  upon  my 
finger  I  see  in  the  diamond  my  tears  ;  in  the  ruby,  his 
drop  of  blood — oh,  if  this  war  were  only  over  !  " 

With  this  plaint  in  my  ear — a  cry  that  bereft  women 
are  now  raising  all  over  the  stricken  land,  North  and 
South — I  leave  my  sister  and  ride  into  Virginia  to  join 
my  regiment. 

Then  comes  Grant's  big  campaign — when  he  fights 
and  flanks,  and  fights  again  and  flanks  again,  from  the 
Wilderness  to  Spottsylvania  and  North  Anna  River  and 
Cold  Harbor,  and  here  swinging  south  of  the  James  and 
assaulting  the  Rebel  capital  from  the  very  point  I  had 
selected,  as  weakest,  has  laid  siege  to  Petersburg. 

So  the  summer  goes  and  autumn  comes,  and  I  find 
myself  one  of  the  fifteen  thousand  sabres  that,  under 
Sheridan,  Torbert  andCuster  begin  to  be  known  as  the 
Great  Cavalry  Corps. 

We  have  pursued  Early  into  Virginia,  and  fought  up 
and  down  the  Shenandoah,  by  the  light  of  blazing 
barns  and  dwellings  and  old  colonial  manor-houses,  till 
that  once  blest  but  now  unhappy  valley  will  no  more 
support  the  struggling  armies  that  tramp  over  its  dev- 
astated fields ;  Mosby's  partisans  raiding  our  communi'- 


300  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

cations  and  destroying  commissary  and  sutlers'  traina 
in  our  rear,  and  Bull-dog  Early  fighting  us  at  the  front. 

But  finally  we  finish  him  at  Cedar  Creek",  and  as  we 
go  into  winter  quarters  in  the  devastated  valley,  my 
regiment,  of  which  I  am  now  Lieutenant-Colonel,  both 
my  senior  majors  having  been  wounded  or  disabled, 
bears  on  its  battle-flag  the  names  of  Opequan,  Fisher's 
Hill  and  Cedar  Creek. 

For  the  last  battle  I  find  myself  brevetted  Brigadier 
General  of  Volunteers ;  though  Vermilye  still  com- 
mands his  horse  battery. 

During  the  early  winter  I  once  or  twice  visit  Wash- 
ington on  leave.  From  this  point,  as  opportunity  has 
offered,  I  have  forwarded  to  my  wife  money,  by  the 
uncertain  contraband  means  of  communication  be- 
tween Washington  and  Richmond.  Whether  she  re- 
ceives it,  I  know  not,  for  no  letters  reach  me  from  her. 

In  February,  1865,  Durant,  my  Colonel,  being  in- 
valided, I  get  orders  to  prepare  for  active  service,  and 
on  the  2yth  Sheridan  begins  his  celebrated  march 
through  Virginia  from  Winchester  to  City  Point. 

The  weather  is  frightful,  the  rain  tremendous.  The 
mud  is  beyond  description  ;  but  we  tramp  on  through  it, 
and  report  at  City  Point,  Grant's  headquarters,  on 
March  26th.  An  awful  ride — a  fearful  raid  ;  but  Sheri- 
dan's cavalry  are  now  ready  to  help  Grant  finish  Lee. 

Up  the  James  River  is  Richmond,  and  no  man  in  all 
the  thirteen  thousand  sabres  that  moved  out  with  Little 
Phil  to  capture  the  South  Side  Railway  and  smash  the 
right  of  that  skeleton  line  of  Confederates  which  is 
now  guarding  Petersburg  is  more  determined  than  I. 
My  comrades  are  fighting  for  the  Union,  but  I  am 
battling  not  only  for  that  but  also  for  a  wife,  from 
whose  love  the  Rebel  flag  has  kept  me  over  two  long 
years. 

Then  comes  Five  Forks,  and  we  cut  off  the  last  rail- 
road by  which  provisions  reach  the  Confederate  army, 
and  force  it  either  to  starve,  break  out  or  retreat. 

The  first  it  won't  do  ;  the  second  it  can't  do ;  the 
third  it  does,  and  Petersburg  is  evacuated  on  the  night 
of  the  2d  of  April,  and  Richmond  on  the  same  day  ; 
though  Ewell,  in  command  of  the  Confederates,  leaves 
it  blazing. 

Desperately  Lee  turns  up  the  Appomattox,  in  search 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  301 

of  safety  from  our  pursuing  columns  and  rations  for  his 
aterving  men — but  he  gets  little  of  either. 

So  after  six  more  desperate  days,  at  Appomattox  Court 
House,  Lee's  wearied  and  half-starved  columns  find 
themselves  entirely  enveloped.  Without  provisions, 
without  sleep,  they  have  fought,  and  marched,  and 
fallen,  and  died,  and  dropped  out  and  been  captured, 
to  discover  Sheridan's  cavalry  ahead  of  them  and  drawn 
up  to  dispute  the  Lynchburg  road  ;  their  one  avenue 
to  even  temporary  safety. 

It  is  the  morning  of  the  ninth  of  April.  My  regi- 
ment, after  service  so  hard  that  we  had  never  seen  the 
like  before,  are  at  Appomattox  Station,  the  men  half 
famished,  for,  if  the  Rebels  starved,  we  had  no  full 
stomachs,  all  this  awful  ride,  when  men  went  to  sleep 
in  their  saddles ;  for  what  commissariat  could  keep 
up  to  our  flying  columns  when  it  was  hub-deep  for 
wagons  in  every  Virginia  road  this  pouring  April 
weather. 

Suddenly  every  worn-out,  dozing  and  hungry  trooper 
of  my  regiment  becomes  as  fresh  as  when  he  first  put 
foot  in  stirrup — for  the  word  has  been  passed  "  At  last 
we  are  ahead  of  Longstreet.  Now  we've  got  'em  sure  •' " 

But  can  we  hold  them — Lee's  veterans  of  four  years 
grimmest  war — in  their  despair — till  our  infantry  ar- 
rives ? 

Couriers  have  been  sent  to  the  Fifth  Corps  ;  it  must 
be  up  early  this  morning,  if  it  has  to  march  all  night. 

But,  as  day  breaks,  our  veteran  infantry  is  not  in 
sight. 

Nothing  for  it  but  to  try  and  stay  infantry  by  cavalry 
— in  these  days  a  military  impossibility,  and  even  at  that 
time  a  desperate  thing,  the  mounted  man  being  already 
inferior  to  the  foot-soldier  for  bruising,  pitched  battle- 
work. 

For  we  now  see  them  coming,  and  know  by  their 
battle  flags  we  have  to  do  with  men  who  fought  and 
won  so  many  times  under  Jackson. 

"By  the  god  of  war!  It  will  be  hot!"  ejaculates 
my  senior  major.  "It's  the  old  Stonewall  corps — 
what's  left  of  'em  !  " 

By  the  Lord!  how  they  come  on,  in  their  despair, 
starving  and  few  of  them,  but  still  for  one  dread  houf 
the  old  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 


JOS  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

No  sign  of  the  Fifth  Corps  yet !  We've  got  to  hold 
them  I 

On  the  little  hills  just  behind  us  our  horse  artillery 
unlimber,  and  their  light  guns  pour  shell  into  them, 
and  as  they  get  near,  change  to  grape  and  canister, 
cutting  bloody  gaps  in  Lee's  ragged  columns. 

Then  we  open  with  our  carbines — but  stay  them 
not. 

The  Rebel  yell  is  sounding  as  fierce  as  it  did  at 
Chancellorsville.  The  Rebel  musketry  is  as  deadly 
and  as  incessant  as  ever  flamed  from  those  gray  ranks 
at  Second  Bull  Run,  where  they  smashed  Pope  to 
flinders. 

Our  lines  give  back  or  are  brushed  away.  Our  losses 
are  enormous ;  both  my  senior  officers  are  disabled, 
and  word  is  brought  me  that  I  command  the  brigade. 
My  regiments,  were  they  not  veterans,  would  be  broken, 
but,  still  keeping  their  formation  and  righting  steadily, 
are  forced  from  the  road,  though  I  contrive  to  draw 
them  off  to  our  flank  and  keep  my  horses  within  touch 
of  my  men. 

But  our  light  artillery  is  still  at  it.  Having  mounted 
cannoniers,  as  the  Rebels  come  dangerously  close, 
they  limber  up,  and,  darting  to  new  eminences,  open 
again — the  guns  being  served  with  Yankee  coolness 
and  deathly  accuracy. 

So  the  tide  of  battle  flows  against  us,  for  we  ar* 
gradually  driven  back  some  half  a  mile  in  that  last 
effort  of  a  starving  army. 

But  every  moment  that  we  cling  to  that  Lynchburg. 
road  adds  to  our  chances  and  destroys  the  Rebel  hope  : 
for  now  blue  lines  of  infantry  are  coming  out  of  the 
woods.  Chamberlain,  by  an  all-night  march,  has 
reached  us  and  is  taking  position  in  our  rear.  Behind 
him  is  another  brigade.  The  batteries  of  the  Fifth 
Corps  are  getting  into  place  on  our  flank. 

The  rebels  see  it  as  well  as  we.  Their  fire  slackens 
as  Gordon  is  forming  them  for  their  last  charge.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  lull  I  order  my  brigade  to  mount — 
so  as  to  be  ready  to  move  aside  and  disclose  our  infan- 
try 

But  the  Rebels  are  coming  now  ! 

They  must  break  through  !     It  is  now  or  never  ! 

Oh,  the  vrild  rush  of  that  ragged,  starving  column ! 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  303 

They're  upon  us  so  quickly,  so  desperately,  that  one 
battery  of  ours,  its  horses  shot  down,  is  surely  lost. 

Just  to  the  left  of  me  and  my  troopers  it  commands 
the  Lynchburg  pike.  If  it  is  held  all  is  won  ;  if  it  is 
lost,  the  Rebel  army  may  break  through  before  our 
infantry  can  deploy  and  form  line  of  battle. 

Its  guns  are  served  like  lightning  !  What's  danger 
of  explosion  now?  Cannister  and  grape,  and  even 
powder  cartridges,  are  piled  beneath  the  muzzles  of  the 
flaming  pieces  ;  their  gunners  working  like  clockwork 
— in  the  face  of  death. 

No  time  to  communicate  vdth  the  division  general. 
Dare  I,  in  this  first  moment  of  command,  take  des- 
perate military  chances? 

BANG !     BANG  !     BANG ! 

Then  comes  the  answering  musketry,  the  Southern 
cry,  the  Southern  charge  ! 

My  Heaven  !  Through  the  blue  smoke  about  it  I 
see  the  battery's  guidon,  and  know  Birdie  to-night  will 
be  a  widow. 

"Not  if  I  can  prevent  that  diamond  tear,  that  ruby 
drop  of  blood  I  "  I  send  orders  to  my  brigade  to  charge 
with  the  sabre.  To  my  own  regiment  I  cry  :  "Follow 
me!" 

As  the  Rebel  line,  with  its  ferocious  yell,  dashes  up 
the  low  hillside,  our  squadrons  jump  the  fence  that  sep- 
arates us  from  them.  Wild  riders,  these  Sheridan  cav- 
alry lads ! 

Then  Stonewall's  ragged  veterans  surge  around  the 
doomed  battery,  whose  guns  are  fired  in  their  very 
faces  ;  but,  as  they  close  over  it,  my  brigade,  charging 
with  weight  of  horse  and  man,  strikes  them  in  flank  ! 
Fifteen  hundred  unexpected  sabres  flash  down  upon 
them. 

Ah  !  How  Jackson's  old  soldiers  fight  in  their  de- 
spair, seeming  to  want  to  die  !  But,  worn  out  from 
long  marching,  faint  from  long  fasting,  my  horse 
sweep  over  them  and  brush  them,  struggling  and 
deadly  to  the  last,  from  off  that  hillside — those  that 
are  left  of  them. 

They  will  not  have  it !     They  are  forming  once  more  I 

Bang  !  Bang  /  Bang  /  go  Vermilye's  guns  again,  but 
that  does  not  phase  them  ;  neither  does  my  carbine  fire. 

When    suddenly,    Crash !    BOOM  1    Crash  /    BOOM « 

BOOK  I 


304  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

The  batteries  of  the  Fifth  and  Twenty-fourth  Corps 
are  opening  a  cross-fire  from  both  flanks,  some  thirty 
guns  scourge  them  with  such  an  artillery  fire  they  have 
not  felt  since  Malvern  Hill  and  Gettysburg.  They 
pause  !  they  falter  ! 

In  five  minutes,  everything  of  that  thin  gray  line  is 
swept  away. 

No  !  one  man  I  see ;  the  last  fighting  Rebel  of  the 
Army  of  Virginia,  still  charging  and  still  firing  and  all 
alone  /  when,  of  a  sudden,  a  shell  bursts  beside  him 
and  throws  his  body  into  the  crotch  of  a  near-by  tree, 
from  which  it  hangs,  the  entrails  dangling  out. 

A  moment  later,  I  am  beside  Vermilye,  who,  leaning 
against  one  of  his  brass  Napoleons,  has  a  smoking  re- 
volver in  one  hand,  a  smoking  cigar  in  the  other.  A 
pile  of  dead  Rebels  mixed  with  his  slain  gunners,  and 
some  wounded  battery  horses,  who  are  moaning  out 
their  plaint,  are  his  nearest  neighbors. 

"Thank  you,  old  man,"  says  the  artillery  captain. 
"You  just  connected;  I've  only  a  slight  bayonet 
scratch,"  and  he  attends  to  the  reloading  of  his  guns. 
Suddenly  he  asks:  "  Did  you  hear  that  awful  shriek 
the  Johnnies  gave  as  they  surged  over  us  ?  " 

"Certainly.     Why?" 

"That  was  the  last  Rebel  yell  you'll  ever  hear. 
See  !  "  he  points. 

Right  and  left  behind  us  dark  and  blue  columns  of  the 
old  fifth  and  twenty-fourth  corps  are  in  sight.  The  lead- 
ing brigades  are  already  in  position. 

"Lee's  last  hope  is  gone,"  I  mutter  ;  then  cry:  "By 
Heaven  !  there's  the  white  flag  !  " 

"The  sign  of  coming  peace,"  remarks  Vermilye, 
"  and  I  think  I  hear  him  sigh :  "  Birdie  ;  "  next  he  asks 
me  anxiously:  "What's  the  matter,  Bill?  Are  you 
wounded? '' 

For  there  are  tears  in  my  eyes.  I  can  hardly  see,  and 
my  gaze  is  not  upon  the  army  we  have  conquered,  but 
towards  the  North  where  far  away  lies  the  Rebel  capi- 
tal ;  I  am  thinking  of  my  dear  wife  who  is  in  Rich- 
mond. 

So  we  wait  there,  one  army  holding  the  other  in  its 
death-grip. 

Suddenly,  through  the  ranks  flies  "  Lee  surrenders  /  " 
Then  who  can  paint  the  picture  ? 


BILLY    HAMILTON.  30$ 

Pandemonium  breaks  forth.  Those  who  had  doubted, 
now  are  sure.  From  every  fence,  from  each  tree- top, 
from  haystacks,  from  the  roofs  of  near-by  farm-houses, 
where  men  have  climbed  to  get  as  near  to  heaven  as 
as  possible  in  their  ecstatic  jubilee,  comes  the  cry  : 
"  Hosanna  !  the  war  is  over  !  "  Officers  who  have  faced 
death  without  atremor  this  very  day  are  sobbing  like 
little  children.  Veterans  who  have  tasted  fire  and  blood 
for  four  long  years,  are  weak  as  swaddled  infants  in  their 
overpowering  joy. 

But — the  other  army  I  From  the  vanquished  host 
across  the  silvery  streamlets  of  the  Appomattox  comes 
a  noise.  I  cannot  describe  it.  Some  think  that  it  is  joy 
also,  they  are  so  tired  of  fighting  for  a  losing  cause. 
To  me  it  seems  like  the  long,  sighing  groan  of  dissolu- 
tion, for  I  know,  over  there,  many  stout  hearts  that 
have  battled  long  and  gallantly,  are  breaking  now. 

I  have  always  thought  their  general's  did,  as  he  saw 
his  colors  droop,  his  battle-flags  sink,  never  to  float  again 
over  the  stern  array  of  war — when  his  starving  men 
crowded  about  him,  and  gave  defeated  "  Pap  Lee"  the 
same  love,  the  same  reverence  they  would  have,  had 
they  placed  the  victor's  crown  upon  his  brow  this  Palm 
Sunday  evening  on  which  drooped  the  colors  of  the 
dead  Confederacy. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE   JEGIS   OF  THE   DEAD   PRESIDENT. 

THAT  evening,  sitting  in  my  tent — as  army  wagons 
have  reached  us  now — one  wounded  spirit  of  the  other 
host  comes  to  me.  For  the  armies  are  fraternizing ; 
this  evening,  we  are  giving  our  starving  adversaries 
bread,  instead  of  bullets. 

My  orderly  announces:  "A  Confederate  officer 
would  like  to  see  you,  General." 

I  spring  up,  and  see  a  haggard  face.  "Charley  St. 
George  !  "  I  cry,  my  hand  outstretched. 

He  takes  it,  but  mutters:  "You  had  better  have 
pulled  trigger  on  me  that  night  in  Richmond,  Hamil- 
ton. I  would  have  been  happier  now." 

"Nonsense  1     You're    only  twenty-seven.    Life  is 


306  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

before  you.  Sit  down;  have  some  supper  with  me.* 
And  I  direct  my  servant,  a  bright  colored  boy,  to  put 
everything  I  have  on  the  blanket  which  acts  as  table 
and  table-cloth. 

"  Thank  you.  I  have  already  eaten  of  Uncle  Sam's 
food,"  he  says  gloomily;  "but  I  will  take  somr 
whisky. " 

"  Now  what  can  I  do  for  you  ? " 

"  Nothing.     I  have  come  to  ask  about  Eve." 

"  About  her  ?  "  I  cry,  my  heart  in  my  throat  "  She 
is  in  Richmond." 

"  No,  she  left  it  two  months  ago  to  join  her  mother, 
somewhere  in  the  valley  of  Virginia.  Our  people  in 
Richmond  were  not  kind  to  her,  after  they  knew  she 
was  the  wife  of  a  Union  spy.  You  owe  Eve  a  great 
deal,  Colonel,  for  your  visit  to  her,"  he  says  sadly,  smit- 
ing his  hands  together.  "She  must  be  very  poor. 
She  may  be  in  want.  I  can't  even  leave  here  until 
pa-oled." 

"  I'll  find  her !  "  I  cry.  "God  bless  you,  St.  George 
for  telling  me  this.  I'll  do  everything  for  her  and  your 
mother." 

At  which  he  give  me  a  grateful  look  and  murmurs, 
in  his  old  time  Southern  manner:  "  I  thank  you  sir  1" 
and  goes  away  dejectedly  as  I  hurry  to  my  corps 
commander  to  ask  for  leave. 

This  my  corps  commander  declines  to  grant  on  his 
personal  responsibility,  though  he  forwards  my  ap- 
Vlication  to  Washington. 

Where  can  my  wife  be  ? 

I  put  an  advertisement  for  her  in  the  Richmond  Whig, 
which  is  still  being  published  and  forward  another  to 
the  Washington  papers. 

From  the  War  Department  early  in  May  I  receive  a 
hasty  order  to  report  forthwith  in  that  city. 

Doing  this  as  hurriedly  as  possible,  I  enter  the 
Federal  capital,  now  tremendously  excited  over  the 
trial  of  the  conspirators  for  the  murder  of  President 
Lincoln,  whose  extended  hand,  bearing  peace  for  the 
suffering  South,  has  been  paralyzed  by  the  assassin 
Booth. 

At  the  War  Department,  to  my  astonishment,  I  am 
ordered  to  report  for  duty  to  General  Hancock,  whose 
headquarters  are  at  Winchester. 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  307 

On  the  streets,  I  find  the  capital  enraged  and  made 
more  bitter  than  before  against  all  who  had  aided 
the  "lost  cause,"  on  account  of  the  crime  of  the 
Northern  assassin  who  had  stricken  down  the  Presi- 
dent they  had  loved.  In  all  the  turmoil  of  passion  in 
that  capital  I  have  but  one  thought — tidings  of  Eve.  I 
hurry  to  Lucy  Bream's  ;  she  may  be  able  to  tell  me 
something  about  her  niece  ;  and  in  her  parlor,  hear 
news  that  gives  me  a  chill  of  horror. 

"I'm  awfully  glad  you've  come,  Billy,"  says  that 
matron  eagerly,  though  her  face  has  a  very  anxious 
look  on  it.  "  You're  not  a  day  too  soon  !  " 

"  Too  soon  for  what  ?  " 

"  Too  soon  to  save  your  wife  and  get  her  out  of  the 
country. " 

"  What — do — you — mean  ?  "  I  stammer. 

"You  know  how  the  public  mind  is  excited  !  You 
are  aware  how  Baker's  detectives  are  anxious  to  make 
a  good  showing.  You  know  how  the  assassination  of 
our  poor  martyred  President  has  made  the  politicians 
so  bitter  against  the  South.  Even  my  husband  is  very 
bloodthirsty  now." 

"Then  why  didn't  he  go  to  the  front?  He  could 
have  had  all  the  Southern  blood  he  wanted  when  we 
were  fighting,"  I  remark  grimly. 

"  Hush  !  Don't  talk  that  way.  One  would  think 
you  were  not  a  Union  man.  Rufus  J.  had  his  patriotic 
duties  in  the  halls  of  Congress." 

"  But  what  about  Eve?"  I  break  in  anxiously. 

"  You  know  she  got  into  an  awful  scrape  when  she 
was  here  in  Washington." 

"  Nobody  knows  that  better  than  I." 

"Oh,  yes  ;  you  were  imprisoned  for  fourteen  months 
on  account  of  her,  weren't  you,  and  even  the  Senator's 
influence  couldn't  get  you  out.  But  Rufus  is  going  to 
speak  for  you  when  your  name  is  sent  in  for  a  brigadier 
generalship  of  volunteers,  so  you  mustn't  say  a  word 
against  him." 

"But  Eve?"  I  ask,  impatiently. 

"  Well,  my  husband  tells  me  that — that  they  could 
hang  her  for  those  awful  Fredericksburg  pontoons," 
whispers  Mrs.  Bream  nervously. 

"Bakers  Secret  Service  people  are  working  hef 
ease  up,"  continues  the  matron.  "They  hate  you. 


308  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

Rod  Gibbon,  I  believe  that's  his  name,  told  the  Senate* 
that  you  betrayed  one  of  their  men,  his  chum  Joe  Shook, 
to  death  in  Richmond.  They  know  a  blow  at  your 
wife  is  a  blow  at  you  !  " 

'  Yes  ;  they  know  I  love  her,"  I  mutter. 

'  They've  got  an  order  for  her  arrest,  and " 

'  They  know  where  she  is  ?  "     I  falter. 
'Yes." 

'What?     Where  is  she?" 
'  In  Luray,  Virginia. " 
*  How  did  they  discover  this  ?  " 
'Well,  Eve  wrote  me.     I  only  got  her  letter  yester- 
day morning,  it  was  delayed  some  days  in  the  post- 
office,  I  am  sure  it  has  been  opened.     She's  living  with 
her  mother  there  ;  they're  very  poor.     She  sent  for  the 
clothes  she  had  left  here  when   you  ran  away  with 
her. " 

"  Luray  ?  *'  I  interject.  "  God  bless  yqu,  Aunt  Lucy, 
for  telling  me  where  she  is  !  I'm  ordered  to  Winchester 
— near  her." 

"You're  going?"  says  Mrs.  Bream;  for  I  have 
sprung  up.  "You  have  not  received  Eve's  letter?  " 

"What  letter?" 

"The  one  she  writes  she  sent  you  ? "  Here  I  break 
out:  "The  Secret  Service — they  have  intercepted  it! 
I  must  go  at  once !  " 

And  I  astonish  the  plump  and  pretty  matron  by 
giving  her  a  nephew's  salute,  and  rush  from  the  house, 
a  tremendous  anxiety  in  my  mind.  But  outside  I  get 
my  thoughts  together,  and  suddenly  give  a  cry  of  joy. 
I  clutch  a  paper  that  I  have  carried  on  my  breast 
through  a  year's  battle  and  know  I  have  the  murdered 
President's  aegis  to  protect  my  love,  the  pardon  for 
which  I  had  risked  my  life  as  spy  in  Rebel  capital  ! 
And  I  thank  God  that  though  dead,  the  mercy  of  the 
nation's  martyr  still  survives  him  to  guard  my  love 
against  Uncle  Sam's  detective  agency. 

With  Lommox,  who  is  still  sergeant  in  my  regiment, 
and  has  been  detailed  to  accompany  me,  I  hurry  to 
Winchester.  Here  I  am  very  pleasantly  received  both 
by  Hancock,  who  is  in  command,  and  General  Torbert, 
under  whom  I  had  served  in  the  Valley  Campaign. 

"We've  orders  here  to  place  you,  in  charge  of  one  of 
the  small  reconstruction  districts  in  this  State ;  prob- 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  309 

ably  because  the  Government  thought  your  being  a 
Border  State  man  would  enable  you  to  understand  the 
people  here  better  than  some  more  full-fledged  Yankee. 
For  we  want  to  make  everything  deuced  pleasant  to 
the  Johnnies,  now  they've  laid  down  their  arms  and  are 
no  more  Johnnies,"  remarks  the  gallant  cavalry  com- 
mander. "You  can  have  your  choice  of  Upperville, 
Strasburg,  Luray,  Harrisburg,  Charlottesville." 

"Luray  !  "  I  cry,  so  sharply  it  startles  him. 

"Ay,  you  know  the  place,"  he  says.  "You've 
ridden  through  that  valley  a  dozen  times,  either  after 
Fitz  Lee  or  from  him.  But  remember,  you  don't  go 
there  to  devastate  this  time  ;  instead  of  burning  barns, 
you're  to  serve  out  rations.  Some  young  lady  there 
you've  seen  as  you  rode  through  ? "  he  queries  laugh- 
ingly, "made  you  choose  the  place  so  rapidly?  " 

"Yes — my  wife,"  I  answer,  and  astound  him. 

"Oh,  then,  you'd  like  to  get  on  your  road  at  once  ? " 

"Certainly." 

With  my  order  to  take  command  of  the  district, 
five  hours  more  and  I  am  in  Luray,  a  pretty  little 
hamlet  in  that  beautiful  valley  ;  one  fortunately  that  had 
escaped  the  torch,  though  the  country  about  it,  even 
on  this  lovely  spring  day  as  I  approach  it  still  shows 
the  hands  of  war.  Burned  barns  and  the  standing 
chimneys  and  charred  beams  of  homesteads  marking 
where  the  armies  had  marched  the  year  before. 

At  the  Federal  headquarters  of  this  little  town,  which 
is  occupied  now  by  the  wing  of  an  infantry  regiment 
and  a  couple  of  squadrons  of  cavalry  for  patrol  duty, 
though  their  troopers'  horses  are  growing  fat,  I  have 
to  give  five  minutes  to  business  with  my  second  in 
command,  Major  Wilcox,  of  the  Foot  Regiment. 

"You've  no  idea,  Colonel,"  remarks  the  major  to 
me,  "  of  the  amount  of  destitution." 

"I  can  guess  at  it,"  I  say.      "I  helped    to  cause  it." 

"We're  issuing  rations  to  over  a  hundred  families, 
and  some  of  them  people  of  distinction,  education  and 
former  wealth." 

"They  are  willing  to  apply  to  us  ?  "  I  ask,  knowing 
Old  Dominion  pride. 

"Some  of  them  don't,"  he  says.  "There's  a  very 
pretty  woman,  who  lives  up  the  main  street,  haughty 
as  a  Juno  ;  you  know  these  Virginia  beauties,  and  her 


310  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

mother,  an  old  grande  dame  A  la  Martha  Washington, 
she  hasn't  applied,  though,  I  fear,  they're  nearly 
starving." 

"Can't  we  do  something  for  them  ?  " 

"  I  have,"  remarks  the  major.  "  I  have  just  ordered 
rations  to  be  sent  them,  and  added  a  few  little  luxuries 
from  our  sutler's  stores,  on  my  own  account.  By  the 
bye,  the  lady  is  a  namesake  of  yours." 

"Mrs.  Hamilton?" 

"Yes.     You  seem  excited;  a  relative?" 

"Only  my  wife  \  God  bless  you  for  your  charity  to 
her,  Wilcox  !  "  I  cry  and  wring  the  major's  hand. 

Suddenly  my  junior's  voice  becomes  husky.  He 
mutters  :  "  Then — I — I  fear  I  have  some  unpleasant 
news  for  you." 

"What?" 

"A  Secret  Service  man — one  Rodmond  Gibbon — 
wearing  a  U.  S.  Deputy  Marshal's  badge,  was  here  not 
fifteen  minutes  ago.  He  has  an  order  for  your  wife's 
arrest  for  treason." 

"And  you  permitted  him  to  execute  it?" 

"I — I  had  no  other  course  left  open  to  me." 

"But  I  have!"  I  say  cheerfully.  "I  have  a  free 
pardon  for  my  wife  in  my  pocket." 

"  I'm  delighted  to  hear  it !  "  says  the  major,  briskly. 

"Just  order  a  squad  of  cavalry  for  me,"  I  direct 
hastily.  "  Where  do  they  live  ?  " 

"  Not  three  hundred  yards  from  here.  You  can  see 
the  Secret  Service  man's  and  his  two  assistants'  horses 
in  front  of  it." 

Two  minutes  after,  with  Lommox  and  a  cavalry 
squad  clattering  behind  me,  I  ride  up  to  the  house  and 
dismount. 

It  is  a  little  two-story  cottage,  amid  some  slight 
shrubbery  and  unkept  flowers.  As  I  inspect  it  all 
seems  quiet  inside,  though  two  or  three  negroes  are 
grouped  about,  looking  in  curiously.  One  of  them  is 
holding  the  horses  of  the  three  government  agents, 
who  are  apparently  in  the  house. 

Throwing  Roderick's  rein  to  my  orderly,  I  enter  the 
little  garden,  stride  up  the  path,  and  rap  with  my 
knuckles  upon  the  door,  which  is  minus  a  knocker. 

Nobody  answers  my  summons.  The  door  is  on  a 
latch ;  I  hurriedly  open  it  and  stride  into  the  little  hall 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  $11 

A  voice,  sweet  and  liquid,  comes  to  me  from  an  ad- 
joining room.  It  is  saying  calmly,  courageously  :  "I 
will  go  with  you,  gentlemen.  There  is  no  need  of 
using  force  ;  I  have  no  other  option." 

My  heart  jumps  to  the  accents — they  are  my 
wife's. 

Then  I  hear  Rod  Gibbon's  nasal  tones,  snarling  and 
savage:  "  By  Gol,  you  played  it  on  me  last  time  at 
the  tavern  in  Port  Tobacco.  The  jealous  wife,  eh  ? — 
jealous  of  yourself.  By  the  bones  of  poor  Joe  Shook, 
we'll  make  the  Colonel's  heart  shriek  through  you,  my 
beauty.  High  treason  !  They're  going  to  hang  one 
woman  in  Washington  now,  and  perhaps  we'll  sling 
up  another.  By  gum,  I  think  I'll  handcuff  you." 

But  he  gets  no  further,  for  throwing  open  the  door 
I  see  Eve  stand,  as  beautiful  as  a  Venus,  as  haughty 
as  a  Juno,  her  eyes  blazing,  her  nostrils  dilated. 
Fronting  her  is  my  brutal  enemy.  Behind  her  is  a  lady 
of  the  old  regime,  her  face  white  as  her  hair  and  draped 
upon  the  wall  of  the  room  an  old  Confederate  flag. 

Into  this  group  I  stride,  and  say  in  savage  calm- 
ness: "You  cur,  don't  dare  to  touch  her!  " 

"By  gum!  The  Colonel!"  cries  Gibbon,  starting 
back  ;  then  he  chuckles  :  "I'm  glad  ye're  here,  so  ye 
kin  squirm  as  I  clap  my  handcuffs  on  your  wife's 
wrists  ;  "  adding  triumphantly  :  "It  does  me  good  to 
arrest  her  under  yer  very  eyes." 

"  Put  down  your  hands  1 "  I  command  and  cover  him 
with  my  revolver. 

As  for  Eve,  she  has  made  one  step  towards  me  and 
sighed  :  "Billy  1 "  then  swayed  a  little  ;  but  stood  still, 
too  wise  to  encumber  me  with  her  arms,  in  case  of 
conflict. 

"By  whose  order?"  mutters  the  detective. 

"  By  mine  ! — the  General  commanding  this  district !" 
I  answer.  "I  have  a  pardon  for  this  lady  in  my 
pocket" 

' '  Great  Gosh  !     From — from  whom  ?  " 

"From  the  dead  President — Abraham  Lincoln." 

"Shucks  !     That  ain't  no  good  now." 

*'Good  as  his  noble  soul ;  and  you  know  it !  Now 
get  out  of  here !  "  I  have  given  a  signal,  and  the 
squad,  headed  by  Lommox,  has  come  trooping  in. 
"  Hustle  this  fellow  and  his  followers  out !  "  I  order. 


312  BILLY   HAMILTON. 

"If  they  make  any  trouble,  put  them  in  the  guard- 
house, for  disturbing  the  peace  of  the  district." 

"Curse  you!"  cries  Gibbon;  and  would  spring  at 
me;  but  Lommox  has  him  by  the  throat.  "Damn 
you  !  You  murdered  my  chum,  poor  Joe  Shook,  in 
Richmond  !  I'll  have  ye  yit !  That  pardon  aint  no 
good  unless  she  takes  the  oath  of  allegiance." 

"  Take  the  oath  of  allegiance?  Never  !  "  cries  Eve, 
who  from  a  marble  statue  now  becomes  an  indignant 
woman  with  blazing  face. 

"Then  I  as  her  husband  will  take  it  for  her  1  "  I 
proclaim. 

At  my  words,  my  wife  gives  a  gasp — looks  reproach- 
fully at  me  and  commences  to  sway  and  tremble. 

"That  won't  work  !  She's  got  to  take  it  personally, 
and  you  know  it,"  cries  the  disappointed  Secret  Service 
man,  as  he  is  hustled  out  by  Lommox  and  his 
squad. 

"  Then  she  shall!"  I  answer. 

And  we  are  alone  together — the  girl's  mother,  my 
wife  and  I.  Standing  before  them,  I  fear  that  I  have 
one  of  the  most  difficult  contests  of  my  life  ;  for  I  am 
perfectly  aware  my  wife  must  take  the  oath  personally, 
to  make  the  pardon  of  avail ;  and  she  doesn't  look  like 
taking  the  oath  now. 

Though  she  has  come  to  me  and  kissed  me,  and  put 
her  arms  around  me  and  murmured  :  "  My  husband  !" 
she  has  pleaded  :  "  For  God's  sake,  Billy,  don't  try  and 
make  me  untrue  to  my  cause — to  desert  it  when  its 
banner  is  torn  down." 

And  the  mother  has  said  haughtily  :  "  This  comes  of 
marrying  a  Yankee  spy." 

"What  your  daughter  and  my  wife  was,  Madame — 
only,  on  the  other  side,"  I  answer.  Then  bowing  to 
Mrs.  Ashley,  I  say  :  "Mother  !  "  at  which  she  gives  a 
ghastly  laugh,  "I  beg  you  to  let  me  settle  this  matter 
with  my  wife." 

Eve's  glance  seconds  my  request. 

So  the  Virginia  matron,  turning  away  with  a  stately 
air,  leaves  me  with  my  bride. 

To  her  I  whisper,  my  soul  in  my  voice  :  "Loved 
one,  are  we  to  be  parted  again  ? " 

"  No,  no,  Billy  !  "  "  Never  again.  I — I  have  been 
unhappy  enough. " 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  313 

Sitting  down,  I  draw  the  blushing-  girl  on  my  knee. 
To  her  I  say  :  "  To  be  with  me,  you  must  do  this  thing  ! 
Not  that  they'll  hang  you.  I  don't  fear  that ! "  I 
mutter  with  a  shudder.  "But  great  trouble  will  come 
on  you  and  on  me,  your  husband." 

"  But,  oh,  it  seems  so  cowardly  1  "  She  wrings  her 
hands,  though  her  eyes  blaze. 

"Eve,  shall  my  visit  as  a  spy  to  Richmond,  when  I 
braved  the  fate  of  a  military  outcast,  to  gain  one  look 
at  your  dear  face,  and  to  obtain  your  pardon  from  the 
Union  Government,  be  nothing?"  I  ask  sternly. 

"  Ah,  that  was  the  price  they  paid  you  !  "  cries  the 
girl.  "My  safety  for  the  risk  of  your  life.  That  was 
why  you  took  the  awful  risk  for  me — for  me — my  hus- 
band !  "  and  her  teary  eyes  look  gratefully  at  me. 

' '  Yes  !  Now,  is  it  a  living  husband  or  a  dead  cause  ?  " 
I  mutter. 

Pressing  her  to  my  heart,  the  throbbing  of  her  bosom 
tells  the  struggle  in  it.  For  one  moment  she  falters, 
then  says,  her  voice  clear  as  a  bell,  with  determina- 
tion :  "You — YOU  !  "  and  adds,  with  sweet  docility: 
"Billy,  I'll  do  what  you  wish;"  but,  sinking  on  her 
knees,  buries  her  head  in  my  lap,  almost  as  if 
ashamed. 

Then  and  theret  for  I  believe  in  taking  women  in 
their  moods,  I  administer  the  formal  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  United  States  to  my  wife,  she  sobbing  it  out 
after  me.  Then  rising  up  slowly,  she  takes  the  banner 
of  her  dead  cause  from  the  wall  reverently,  and  fon- 
dles it  and  cries  over  it,  as  I  saw  Lee's  veterans  do  to 
their  battle-flags  after  he  had  surrendered. 

I  step  silently  out  to  let  her  bury  the  dead  thing  she 
had  loved. 

On  the  porch  there  is  a  noise  of  moving  impedi- 
menta. Lommox,  with  a  squad  of  men,  is  bringing 
jn  not  only  army  rations  and  provisions,  but  every 
luxury  in  the  way  of  eatables  that  my  thoughtful  sec- 
ond in  command  has  gathered  up  for  my  house- 
keeping ;  likewise  two  trunks,  one  apparently  for- 
warded from  Washington. 

"Bedad,  I  don't  know  what  to  do  with  this  I  "  re- 
marks the  sergeant. 

"Take  the  provisions  to  the  kitchen,"  I  order.  "I 
will  arrange  for  the  trunks." 


314  BILLY    HAMILTON. 

I  step  back,  and  opening  the  little  parlor  door,  my 
wife's  arms  close  round  me,  and  the  Confederate  flag 
has  disappeared. 

"Now,  darling,  you  are  the  wife  of  a  Union  gen- 
eral," I  say  briskly.  "You  can  do  so  much  good 
about  here.  You  know  your  people's  necessities.  We 
are  their  friends  now." 

"Yes,  Billy,  I'll  show  them  how  we  Yanks" — she 
shivers  as  she  speaks — "love  these  poor  surrendered 
Johnnies  !  " 

"  But  here  are  some  trunks,"  I  say. 

"For  me?"  Eve  is  out  in  the  hall.  "  From  Lucy 
Bream  !  My  clothes  !  "  she  cries,  and  looking  at  her 
plain,  home-spun  gown,  her  face  grows  joyous  at  the 
thought  of  pretty  dresses  :  as  what  woman's  wouldn't 
who  had  famished  for  Paris  modes  and  fashions  for  two 
long  years. 

"Hump  !  But  there's  another  trunk  here,"  I  mutter, 
looking  at  a  small  one  marked  W.  F.  H. 

"Yours,  Billy?" 

"Yes,  darling." 

She  blushes  brightly,  then  laughs:  "I — I'll  attend 
to  that." 

A  few  moments  after  I  hear  my  wife  command  : 
"  Lommox,  take  the  General's  trunk  upstairs  and  put  it 
beside  mine." 

"Faith!"  chuckles  the  Irish  sergeant,  "that's  the 
place  I  think  he  has  been  wanting  to  get  it  the  last 
thrae  years." 

Some  little  time  after  the  sergeant  salutes  me, 
scratches  his  head,  looks  curiously  at  me,  and  re- 
marks :  "  Bless  yer  lady's  swate  voice,  yer  honor,  she 
knows  me  name  is  Lommox.  She's  a  beautiful  voice 
that  won't  go  out  of  my  head,  and  there  is  a  darky 
sawing  wood  in  the  back-yard  who  knows  my  name  is 
Lommox,  too.  His  head's  about  the  size  of  the  one 
that  took  the  wind  out  of  my  stomach  on  G  Street. 
Yer  lady's  going  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  I  makes 
bould  to  hope,  Gineral  ?  " 

"She  has  already  done  it  But  why  this  rigma- 
role ?  "  I  say  severely. 

"  Bedad,  between  ourselves,  don't  yer  think  it  would 
have  been  better  for  us  both  if  her  swate  voice  had 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  thrae  years  ago — before— 


BILLY   HAMILTON.  315 

before  that  pontoon  affair?  "  suggests  the  Irishman  rue- 
fully. 

"Half  an  hour  afterwards,  a  girl  dressed  in  white 
muslin,  with  big  ribbon  sash  and  delicate  hosiery 
and  slippers,  flutters  down  to  me.  She  cries  :  "Wasn't 
Lucy  Bream  a  darling?  She  not  only  sent  my  old 
clothes,  but  lots  of  new  ones."  Then  suggests  bash- 
fully:  "How  do  I  look?" 

"Like  a  bride!"  I  say;  "though  I've  told  you 
that  on  two  other  occasions.  This  time,  however,  it 
goes!" 

"Oh,  Bill!" 

"Now  come  with  me.  I  want  to  register  your  oath 
of  allegiance." 

"Must  I,  publicly,  to  a  Federal  officer?" 

"Yes,  dear." 

"  Very  well !  I  am  going  to  do  everything  you 
say."  Her  lovely  eyes  beam  on  me.  She  murmurs  : 
"  You  see  I  am  going  to  be  a  very  good  wife,  Billy.  I 
have  to — to  make  up  for  lost  time." 

So,  going  with  me,  Eve  registers  her  oath  unaffect- 
edly, yet  tearfully,  in  Uncle  Sam's  book  of  repentant 
Johnnies. 

At  the  entrance  of  our  home,  on  our  return,  I  see  a 
stern-looking  darky  gazing  at  me. 

"By  the  Lord  Harry,  it's  Quassie  !  "  I  cry. 

"Yes,  sah,  and  I  don't  regret  saving  yo' life,  sah, 
seeing  yo've  sent  us  the  best  rations  in  the  ole  Valley 
of  Virginia.  Reckon  Giner'l  Grant  won't  live  no  higher 
to-night  than  my  Sally  and  me.  Dar's  gwine  to  be 
champagne  on  yo'  wife's  table,  sah,  to-night.  Some* 
thing  I  haven't  heard  pop  for  four  years.  Praise  de 
Lawd,  peace,  and  plenty  hath  come  upon  the  land." 

But  this  effusion  is  interrupted  by  a  stately  lady, 
who  steps  out  and  says:  "William,  my  son,  dinner 
is  ready." 

"Mother!"  I  laugh,  and  give  mamma-in-law  a 
hearty  kiss. 

"Billy!"  cries  Eve,  "come  upstairs  and  dress  for 
supper. " 

"  Which  room  ?  "  I  ask,  running  after  her. 

"Why,  ours,  of  course." 

FINIS. 


APPENDIX. 


*  General  Burnside's  Testimony  before  Committee  of  Congress  : 

On  the  nights  of  the  nth  and  I2th  of  November,  after  discover- 
ing my  plan  fully  to  them  (Generals  Halleck  and  Meigs)  there  (at 
Warrenton),  they  sat  down  and  sent  telegrams  to  Washington 
which,  as  I  supposed,  fully  covered  the  case  and  would  secure  the 
starting  of  the  pontoon  trains  at  once.  I  could  have  sent  officers  of 
my  own  to  Washington  to  attend  to  those  matters,  and  perhaps  I 
made  a  mistake  in  not  doing  so,  as  General  Halleck  afterward  told 
me  that  I  ought  not  to  have  trusted  to  them  in  Washington  for  the 
details. 

In  reply,  General  Woodbury  telegraphed  back,  the  pontoon  train 
would  start  on  Sunday  morning  probably,  and  certainly  on  Monday 
morning,  which  would  have  been  on  the  i6th  and  i7th  of  November, 
which  would  have  been  in  time.  They  did  not  however  start  until  the 
2Oth,  and  on  that  day  it  commenced  raining,  which  delayed  them  so 
much,  the  roads  became  so  bad,  that  when  they  came  to  Dumfries 
they  floated  the  pontoons  off  the  wagons.  We  then  sent  to  Wash- 
ington for  a  steamer,  and  carried  them  down  to  Aquia  Creek  by 
water,  sending  the  wagons  round  by  land.  The  pontoons  did  not 
get  here  until  the  22d  or  23d  of  November.  *  *  *  * 

On  the  1 5th  of  November  I  started  the  column  down  the  road  to 
Fredericksburg,  not  knowing  anything  about  the  delay  in  the  start 
of  the  pontoons,  because  the  telegram  announcing  the  delay  did  not 
reach  Warrenton  Junction  until  I  had  left  to  come  down  here  with 
the  troops. 

***** 

BY  MR.  GOOCH  :  Do  I  understand  you  to  say  that  it  was  your  un- 
derstanding that  General  Halleck  and  General  Meigs,  while  at  your 
headquarters  in  Warrenton,  and  before  you  commenced  the  move- 
ment of  your  army,  sent  orders  to  Washington  for  the  pontoons  to  be 
immediately  forwarded  to  Falmouth  ? 

Answer:  That  was  my  understanding,  surely. 

Question:  In  your  judgment,  could  the  pontoons  have  been  for- 
warded to  you  in  time  for  you  to  have  crossed  the  Rappahannock 
when  you  expected,  if  all  possible  efforts  had  been  made  by  those 
charged  with  that  duty  ? 

Answer:  Yes,  sir,  if  they  had  received  their  orders  in  time. 

Question :  Did  the  non-arrival  of  these  pontoons  at  the  time  you 
expected  prevent  your  crossing  when  you  expected  to  cross,  and  in- 
terfere with  the  success  of  your  plans  ? 

Answer :  Yes,  sir. 

NEW  YORK  HERALD,  DECEMBER  18,  1862. 

"  Radicals  of  the  War  Department  practically  superseded  Burn- 
tide  as  they  had  effectively  superseded  McClellan.  If  the  army  was 

316 


APPENDIX.  317 

delayed  before  Fredericksburg  by  the  non-arrival  of  pontoons,  th« 
radicals  were  responsible.  ...  It  was  the  duty  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment to  have  had  the  pontoon  trains  on  the  bank  of  the  river  so 
that  the  army  might  immediately  cross." 

FROM  A  SECOND  EDITORIAL  OF  THE  SAME  PAPER  AND  SAME  DATE  ! 

"  It  is  not  the  peril  of  another  advance  of  the  ragged  armies  of 
Jeff  Davis  on  Washington,  nor  the  danger  of  foreign  intervention  ; 
but  it  is  the  danger  of  the  total  loss  of  the  confidence  of  our  loyal 
people  in  the  success  of  the  war  under  President  Lincoln's  adminis- 
tration. .  .  .  Men  commanding  the  confidence  of  the  country  must 
take  the  places  of  the  blundering  fanatics  and  scheming  politicians 
who  distract  the  counsels  of  the  cabinet,  and  the  places  of  the  'n- 
competent  martinets  of  the  War  Office. 

In  Harper's  Weekly  of  Jany.  3d.,  1863,  appeared 

THE  CELEBRATED  CARTOON  OF  COLUMBIA  DEMANDING  FROM 
LINCOLN,  STANTON  AND  HALLECK  HER  15,000  SONS  MURDERED 
AT  FREDERICKSBURG. 

Columbia  is  depicted  as  standing  in  indignant  denunciation  of 
Lincoln,  who  is  dressed  as  a  Western  hoosier,  with  Stanton  and 
Halleck  behind  him. 

COLUMBIA  :  "  Where  are  my  15,000  sons,  murdered  at  Fredericks- 
burg  ? " 

OLD  ABE  :  This  reminds  me  of  a  little  joke — " 

COLUMBIA  :  "  Go  tell  that  joke  at  Springfield." 

This  was  followed  by  the  Guillotine  cartoon  attack- 
ing most  violently  the  President  and  War  Office, 


What  some  of  America  s 
ablest   Critics  say  of 

JACK  CURZON 

'By 
ARCHIBALD  CLAVERING  GUNTER 

•  .  '  ? 

••We  find  a  itory  of  great  Tivmcity  in  A.  C.  Gunter'»  'Jack  Curzon.' " — V,  T.  Sun. 

"Is  full  of  d  ub  and  abounds  with  dramatic  incident." — New  Haven  Morning 
KIWI. 

"The  book  has  loti  of  humor  in  it,  it  intensely  interesting,  and  will  certainly 
meet  with  universal  favor." — Daily  'journal,  Phillipsburg,  Pa, 

"Gunter  is  certainly  the  novelist  of  the  day,  who  comes  nearest  to  Alexander 
Dumas,  and  to  our  taste  he  surpasses  the  Frenchman.  If  you  doubt  this,  throw  aside 
your  encyclopedia  and  history,  and  study  the  Filipino  question,  with  Jack  Curzon  at 
your  guide  and  entertainer." — TTit  Prcii-Kniclerbocker,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

"Jack  Curzon  will  be  received  with  pleasure  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  ... 
Mr.  Gunter  has  all  the  faculties  of  a  successful  novelist.  He  is  a  graceful,  forceful,  pun- 
gent writer  as  occasion  requires.  He  is  a  shrewd  analyzer  of  character,  and  an  excellent 
weaver  of  plots  in  which  tiiere  is  a  warp  and  woof  of  amusing  and  thrilling  incident." 
—0*Hand  -Tribunt. 

"Romance  lurks  in  every  corner  of  the  story,  and  is  guided  with  the  special  akin 
for  which  Mr.  Gunter  has  already  acquired  a  reputation.  The  tropical  nature  of  the 
surroundings  of  Manila  are  painted  with  spirited  color,  and  the  author's  knowledge  of 
prevailing  Spat  ..k  conditions  is  strongly  handled.  The  story  is  throughout  one  of  ver- 
satile incident,  so  glowingly  touched  with  reality  that  the  clinching  argument  of  the 
scenes  so  nearly  simultaneously  with  the  American  victory  at  Manila  bring  "Jack  Cur- 
zon" forward  as  one  of  the  most  absorbing  novels  of  the  season  .  .  .  Mr.  Guntet 
could  not  well  have  written  a  novel  that  would  win  more  unanimous  interest.  It  is 
equipped  with  every  possible  factor  to  hold  human  attention,  and  is  moreover  pest*, 
trated  by  peculiar  mental  virility  and  color." — Bo  it  in  Idias. 

Cloth,  $1.50  Paper,  50  Cents 

For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  prepaid  on  receipt  of  price 


Mr.  Potter 


of  Texas. 


AMERICAN   EDITION, 


ENGLISH    EDITION, 


"The  description  of  the  Bom- 
bardment of  Alexandria,  in  <Mr. 
Potter  of  Texas/  is,  perhaps,  the 
most  stirring  picture  painted  by 
the  pen  of  any  writer  in  several 
generations" 


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